house of cards

1. A structure made by stacking playing cards in a pyramidal fashion.

   Kartenhaus

   ка́рточный до́микkártočnyj dómik

   карткови́й буди́нокkartkovýj budýnok, картко́вий буди́нокkartkóvyj budýnok, карткови́й буди́ночокkartkovýj budýnočok

   an unstable construction with playing cards

2. (attributive, broadly, often)Any structure with alternating vertical and horizontal layers.

3. (figuratively, idiomatic)A structure, argument, or arrangement that is inherently flimsy or fragile and thus might collapse if any adversity were to come along and challenge it.

   Kartenhaus

   ка́рточный до́микkártočnyj dómik

   карткови́й буди́нокkartkovýj budýnok, картко́вий буди́нокkartkóvyj budýnok, карткови́й буди́ночокkartkovýj budýnočok

irregular