punch someone's ticket

English

Verb

punch someone's ticket (third-person singular simple present punches someone's ticket, present participle punching someone's ticket, simple past and past participle punched someone's ticket)

1. (idiomatic, chiefly North America, often followed by to or for) To put someone, especially oneself, in a position to advance or to achieve a desired objective; to gain useful experience.
   • 2015 November 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, Bush punched his ticket in 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.

   • 2019 May 28, A. C. Shilton, “You Accomplished Something Great. So Now What?”, in New York Times, retrieved 8 December 2021:

     Just don't expect getting that promotion or winning that Pulitzer to punch your ticket to bliss.

   • 2021 November 27, “Western, Saskatchewan advance to Vanier Cup in very different ways”, in The Star, Canada, retrieved 10 December 2021:

     The Mustangs emphatically punched their ticket to the Canadian college football final with a 61-6 rout of visiting St. Francis Xavier in the Mitchell Bowl on Saturday.

2. (idiomatic, chiefly North America) To seriously harm or kill someone.
   • 1991 August 11, Paul Ciotti, “If He's Such a Hero, Why Does He Feel Like a Wimp?”, in Los Angeles Times, retrieved 8 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 and punch his ticket on the spot.

   • 2006, Tom Piccirilli, Headstone City‎^[1], Random House, →ISBN, retrieved 8 December 2021, page 189:

     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 they punched his ticket.

   • 2016, Dusty Richards, Deadly Is the Night, Pinnacle Books, →ISBN, retrieved 8 December 2021:

     The two lawmen punched his ticket with four well-aimed rifle shots.