I. tick ‧ et 1 S1 W2 /ˈtɪkət, ˈtɪkɪt/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Origin: Early French etiquet 'notice attached to something' , from Old French estiquier 'to attach' , from Middle Dutch steken 'to stick' ]
1 . CINEMA/BUS/TRAIN ETC a printed piece of paper which shows that you have paid to enter a cinema, travel on a bus, plane etc
ticket for
How much are tickets for the concert?
ticket to
I’d like two tickets to Berlin.
a ticket to do something
a ticket to watch the US Open
⇨ ↑ season ticket
2 . FOR A PRIZE a printed piece of paper with a number on it that you buy because you will get a prize if that number is chosen
raffle/lottery ticket
3 . DRIVING OFFENCE a printed note ordering you to pay money because you have done something illegal while driving or parking your car
parking/speeding ticket
4 . IN SHOPS a piece of paper fastened to something in a shop that shows its price, size etc SYN tag American English :
How much does it say on the price ticket?
5 . ELECTION [usually singular] especially American English a list of the people supported by a particular political party in an election:
He ran for governor on the Republican ticket.
6 . ticket to success/fame/stardom etc especially American English a way of becoming successful, famous etc:
Michael thought an MBA would be a ticket to success.
7 . be (just) the ticket old-fashioned to be exactly what is needed
⇨ ↑ dream ticket , ↑ meal ticket
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + ticket
▪ a train/bus/coach ticket
I’ve lost my train ticket.
▪ an airline/plane/air ticket
You can pick up your airline tickets at the check-in desk.
▪ a theatre/concert ticket
The special rate includes theatre tickets and transport from the hotel to the theatre.
▪ a one-way ticket ( also a single ticket British English ) (=a ticket to a place but not back again)
I bought a one-way ticket to London.
▪ a return ticket British English , a round-trip ticket American English (=a ticket to a place and back)
How much is a round trip ticket to Boston?
▪ a season ticket (=one that allows you to make a journey or go to a sports stadium, theatre etc as often as you like during a fixed time period)
He has a season ticket for Manchester United.
▪ a valid ticket (=one that is legally or officially acceptable)
You cannot travel without a valid ticket.
■ verbs
▪ book/reserve a ticket
We booked our tickets well in advance.
▪ buy a ticket
Sheila bought a ticket for the next flight home.
■ ticket + NOUN
▪ a ticket office/booth/counter (=a place where you can buy tickets)
There was a long queue at the ticket office.
▪ a ticket machine
The ticket machine wasn’t issuing tickets.
▪ the ticket barrier British English (=a gate or other barrier at a station that you need a ticket to get through)
John insisted on carrying my case as far as the ticket barrier.
▪ a ticket agency (=a company that sells tickets for concerts, sporting events, etc)
Book your tickets online from one of the many ticket agencies.
• • •
THESAURUS
■ types of travel tickets
▪ single (ticket)/one-way ticket a ticket that lets you go to a place but not back again:
A single to Edinburgh, please.
|
He bought a one-way ticket to Los Angeles.
▪ return (ticket) British English , round-trip ticket American English a ticket that lets you go to a place and back again:
A return to London, please.
▪ season ticket a ticket that lets you make the same journey every day for a fixed period of time:
My company pays for my season ticket.
▪ e-ticket a ticket that you buy over the Internet, in which you are given a number which you use when you check in at an airport:
All you have to do is print off the e-ticket and show it at the check-in desk.
II. ticket 2 BrE AmE verb [transitive usually passive]
1 . to produce and sell tickets for an event, journey etc:
air travel sold and ticketed in the UK
ticketed events such as concerts
2 . especially American English to give someone a ticket for parking their car in the wrong place, driving too fast etc:
Drivers stopping here will be ticketed and have their cars towed.
3 . be ticketed for something especially American English to be intended for a particular use, purpose, job etc:
Three of the army bases have been ticketed for closure.