These phrases carry metaphorical meanings, and they can represent different aspects of life, from emotional control to surprises, and even assigning blame to someone. Poker Idioms: What They MeanĬard idioms are phrases that originally came from the poker table that have found their way into everyday language. We’ll show you some of the most common poker phrases you’ll come across in real life, look at where these phrases originated, and how they’ve impacted the English language as a whole. Poker idioms are everywhere, and in today’s blog, we’re going to delve into the rich linguistic culture surrounding the game of poker and look at how poker-inspired phrases entered the modern English language. Poker Phrases: An Introduction and History.