1838 (n.), 1846 (v.), American English poker slang, apparently from Latin ante "before," from PIE *anti- "facing opposite, against," with derivatives meaning "in front of, before; end" (cognates: Sanskrit antah "end, border, boundary," Hittite hanti "opposite," Greek anta, anten "opposite," anti "over against, opposite, before;" Old Lithuanian anta "on to;" Gothic anda "along;" Old English and- "against;" German ent- "along, against"), from root *ant- "front, forehead."