= swabber, n.2

Chiefly plural. Certain cards at the game of whist (see first quot. 1699), which entitled the holder to part of the stakes. whisk and swabbers: a…

Whist. A card of a suit held only by one player after the other cards of the suit have been played. Obsolete. rare.

Cards. In full card of re-entry: (in a trick-taking game, esp. whist or bridge) a card which wins a trick and thus enables a player to regain the…