punch someone's ticket

Meaning: (idiomatic,chiefly North America,often followed bytoorfor)To put someone, especially oneself, in apositiontoadvanceor toachieveadesiredobjective; togainusefulexperience.2015November 13,Carlos Lozada, "DESTINY AND POWER: The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush" (book review),Washington Post(retrieved 8 Dec 2021):After building a business in the Texas oil world, Bushpunched his ticketin the House of Representatives; served briefly as U.N. ambassador, Republican National Committee chairman and U.S. envoy to China; led the CIA for just under a year; ran for the GOP presidential nomination; joined Ronald Reagan’s ticket; and finally captured the White House, where he guided America through the Cold War’s end and stared down a Middle East dictator.2019May 28, A. C. Shilton, “You Accomplished Something Great. So Now What?”, inNew York Times, retrieved8 December 2021:Just don't expect getting that promotion or winning that Pulitzer topunch your ticketto bliss.2021November 27, “Western, Saskatchewan advance to Vanier Cup in very different ways”, inThe Star, Canada, retrieved10 December 2021:The Mustangs emphaticallypunched their ticketto the Canadian college football final with a 61-6 rout of visiting St. Francis Xavier in the Mitchell Bowl on Saturday.; (idiomatic,chiefly North America)Toseriouslyharmorkillsomeone.1991August 11, Paul Ciotti, “If He's Such a Hero, Why Does He Feel Like a Wimp?”, inLos Angeles Times, retrieved8 December 2021:I always thought that if anyone ever broke into my house, that would be his last break-in. I'd get the gun andpunch his ticketon the spot.2006,Tom Piccirilli,Headstone City‎[1], Random House,→ISBN, retrieved8 December 2021, page189:Phil put his arms around him. Drew him in close, pressed his cheek to Dane's the way the Mafiosi in the fifties would kiss somebody right before theypunched his ticket.2016, Dusty Richards,Deadly Is the Night, Pinnacle Books,→ISBN, retrieved8 December 2021:The two lawmenpunched his ticketwith four well-aimed rifle shots.

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