IdiomNatureEnglish

take a rain check

Meaning: To decline an invitation for now, with the idea of accepting it another time.

Example: “I can't make it to dinner tonight, but can I take a rain check?”

Origin: From American baseball in the late 19th century: when a game was rained out, spectators received a ticket stub, a "rain check," admitting them to a later game. By the 20th century it meant postponing any offer or invitation.

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