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 (General Australian): (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.