Annie Oakley

English

Etymology

Many complimentary tickets had holes punched in them to prevent recipients from reselling them; in this way, they resembled the playing cards that sharpshooter Annie Oakley shot holes in as part of her act, and so were named after her.

Pronunciation

Audio (AU) (file)

Noun

Annie Oakley (plural Annie Oakleys)

(US, slang, possibly dated) A complimentary ticket, a free ticket; a comp.
- 1944 August 28, John Bainbridge, S. Hurok, in Life, volume 17, number 9, page 57:
  The prince and princess of Belgium happened to be [...] in Detroit. Hurok sent them a pair of passes [...]. The concert was a sellout, Hurok cleared $4,000, and several days later received a polite note from the prince's equerry expressing Their Highnesses' regret at not having been able to use the Annie Oakleys.