Rain Check – Meaning, Origin & Usage

The phrase “rain check” is quite common, but isn’t new. However, it can be used in a variety of different contexts, which can lead to confusion over what it means. However, this article is going to address that. Let’s get straight to it.

What does the phrase “rain check” mean?

Taking a “rain check” is when you cannot accept an invitation or carry out an action at the original date, but you promise you will do so in the future instead.

It’s basically a way to turn down an upcoming opportunity in favour of doing it at a later point in time. This way, declining an invitation is made to feel more like an extension rather than a loss. You can use the phrase to express interest in an activity without having to commit to a particular date or time.

The American origins of the phrase “rain check”

The phrase “rain check” is quite old, dating back to the 1880s. It was first used in American baseball, when ticket holders for games would get a “rain check” if a game was cancelled or postponed due to the pitch being too wet with rain. This rain check would enable the ticket holder to watch the match at a later date to be determined.

Evolution of the use of the term “rain check”

By the early 1900s the phrase was also being used for other forms of entertainment. Later, the term also came to be used in the field of retail and commerce. For instance, if a specific item happened to be out of stock, a seller would offer a buyer to get the product in for them, often at the same price as the original offer. Later still, the term began to be used for politely declining an invitation to meet up.

The use of “rain check” in everyday conversations

A typical example of the phrase in use might be  “I can’t come to dinner Tuesday but hope you’ll give me a rain check”. Others include “Let’s do this another day, I can’t make Thursday, I’ve already got  something on” or,”Mind if I take a rain check on that drink?”.

A retailer who has just sold out of a product on sale might say to a potential buyer “You can have a rain check on that. Give me your details and I’ll order one in for you at the same price.”

Synonyms and alternatives to “rain check”

Here are some common synonyms of the term “rain check”:

• Postpone
• Delay
• Adjourn
• Set aside
• Shelve
• Stall
• Suspend
• Promise
• Reserved ticket

Final word

So, in short, the phrase “rain check” can be used anytime you want or need to postpone something for a later date. It’s a relatively old phrase dating back to the 1880s. This could be for entertainment such as a game or concert, a meet-up, or to obtain goods at the sale price when they are next in stock with the retailer.