{"id":7482,"date":"2022-08-17T18:15:01","date_gmt":"2022-08-17T18:15:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/?p=7482"},"modified":"2022-08-17T18:15:01","modified_gmt":"2022-08-17T18:15:01","slug":"raincheck-meaning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/raincheck-meaning\/","title":{"rendered":"Raincheck \u2013 Meaning, Origin and Usage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Are you looking for a way to blow someone off for the evening? You could tell them you'll take a raincheck<\/em> on your plans. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression.<\/p>\n

Meaning<\/h2>\n

The expression 'raincheck'<\/em> means declining an offer, deferring it to a later date. It can also mean you're postponing an activity to a later date due to extenuating circumstances changing your plans.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It's a polite way of excusing yourself from an event, promising that you'll catch up with the person later. 'Raincheck<\/em>' means you can't accept an invitation right now, but you'll do it later.<\/p>\n

Example Usage<\/h2>\n

\u2018Yeah, I\u2019m going to have to take a raincheck on that. Something came up this evening, and I have to divert all my attention to it. Sorry, we\u2019ll do it sometime soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was supposed to take the kids to Disneyland this weekend. However, we\u2019ll have to take a raincheck on that. Something came up at work, and I must spend Saturday finishing a project.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan we get a raincheck on dinner tonight? I\u2019m sorry to do this to you, but my brother just called me, and he has an emergency I have to help him with this evening.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s take a raincheck on that. I know you wanted to go to this restaurant for ages, but waiting one more day won\u2019t matter, will it?\u201d<\/p>\n

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Origin<\/h2>\n

The expression \u2018raincheck\u2019 originates from the sport of baseball. The first use of the term in the sport appears in the 1870s. If people attended a baseball game and paid for their ticket, they would receive a \u2018raincheck\u2019 if the game was called off due to precipitation.<\/p>\n

The spectator would receive a free ticket to attend any game of their choosing later in the season. The phrase also spread to the retail industry, where stores would use \u2018raincheck.\u2019 If the store advertised products at a specific price, and consumers visited the store to find them out of inventory, they received a raincheck.<\/p>\n

The raincheck entitled them to receive the same product at a discounted price when the store received new inventory from their suppliers. The \u2018raincheck\u2019 was a paper voucher and a method for retailers to retain customers' business rather than have them visit a competitor for the same product.<\/p>\n

The \u2018raincheck\u2019 was standard retail practice after 1989. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) created the \u2018unavailability rule,\u2019 entitling consumers to rainchecks. Over the following decade, the term changed to something avoided or procrastinated on.<\/p>\n