Take a rain check
English Idiom
Meaning: To decline an invitation or offer but suggest or imply that you might accept it at a later time. It's a polite way of postponing an engagement.
Origin: The phrase 'take a rain check' originates from the 19th-century American baseball scene. When games were postponed due to rain, spectators were given a 'rain check'—a ticket allowing them to attend a rescheduled game. The term quickly spread beyond baseball and became a popular way to defer acceptance of an offer or invitation.
Examples
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I’d love to join you for dinner, but I have a deadline to meet tonight. Can I take a rain check?
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She wanted to go hiking this weekend, but the weather was awful, so they decided to take a rain check.
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Thanks for the invitation to your party, but I’m swamped with work. How about I take a rain check?
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He had to take a rain check on their coffee date because an urgent meeting came up.
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I’ll have to take a rain check on our lunch plans; I’m feeling under the weather today.
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They were excited for the concert, but when it got rescheduled, they decided to take a rain check.
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I’m really interested in that job offer, but I need to finish my current project first. Can I take a rain check?
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She had to take a rain check on the movie night because her babysitter canceled at the last minute.
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We had to take a rain check on our vacation plans due to the travel restrictions.
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Although he was eager to start the new project, he had to take a rain check because of his prior commitments.