E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Queer Card (A).
A strange or eccentric person. In whist, etc., when a wrong card is played, the partner says to himself, “That is a queer card,” which, being transferred to the player, means he is a queer card to play in such a manner. Hence any eccentric person, who does not act in accordance with social rules, is a “queer card”
