to take a rain check
19
6.6
- idiom
:
dejarlo para otra ocasión
- That's very nice of you, thank you, but I'll take a rain check on it.
- take a rain check on dinner
- gonna take a rain check
- think I'll take a rain check
Examples
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I'll take a rain check this time, okay?
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You don't want to stay for the late-night feature? - Can I take a rain check? - You bet.
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I might have to take a rain check.
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- Better take a rain check on that.
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We'll take a rain check on the meeting, though.
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Listen, if you two had something planned, I can take a rain check.
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I mean, you go there, you say it was a mistake, and ask if he'll take a rain check.
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I'd love to, but I think I'll have to take a rain check.
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I will also have to take a rain check on the movie; I don't have $15 in the budget this month.
Blog text (28) -
I would love to go to the concert, but I will have to take a rain check due to a prior commitment.
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'politely decline now and suggest later' is not derivable from the literal parts 'take' + 'a' + 'rain' + 'check' — 'rain' and 'check' do not transparently combine to indicate postponement. This is an idiomatic, culture-specific usage (originating from event tickets) that a B1 learner who only knows the constituent words would not reliably predict.
Etymology
The idiom take a rain check comes from old baseball games where, if rain stopped the game, ticket holders were given a paper called a rain check to use at the next game. So, when you say you'll take a rain check, you politely mean 'not now, but maybe another time'.