get out of jail free card

English edit

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Etymology edit

An element of the board game Monopoly, allowing a player to leave the "jail" square immediately, without missing game turns.

Pronunciation edit

  • (file)

Noun edit

get out of jail free card (plural get out of jail free cards)

  1. (idiomatic) A certain privilege or advantage that provides relief from an undesirable situation or immunity from punishment or consequences.
    • 2020 March 30, A.J. Goodman, “R. v. T.K., 2020 ONSC 1935”, in CanLII[1], retrieved 14 September 2023:
      ...this decision is not intended to send out a message that due to the pandemic there exists a revolving door policy for offenders to commit crime with the expectation of release or that offenders can now benefit with a "get out of jail free" card. Indeed, if this were the case generally, it would erode the public confidence in the criminal justice system, especially as it pertains to violent offenders or crimes of violence.

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