bad check

A written order to a bank for a certain amount of funds that has been dishonored, either because such funds are not available or because the given checking account does not exist. Primarily heard in US. A lot of bad checks have been circulating in the area lately, claiming to be from the local university; in reality, they are scams trying to swindle people out of money. This better not be a bad check—I really need the money. I hear some creep has been passing through the state, depositing bad checks on Fridays and then skipping town before the banks are open on Monday.

blank cheque

1. Literally, a cheque presented to someone with the amount left blank, so that it can be written out for the desired total. Mom, can you give me a blank cheque so I can fill it out when I buy my school supplies? I have no idea how much this will end up costing you, so here's a blank cheque. A: "You can't just send them a blank cheque! What if they write down an obscene amount for your donation?" B: "So be it. I've got the money, and it's going to a good cause."

2. By extension, the freedom or permission to spend as much money or use as much resources as needed in pursuit of a desire or goal. The company was having a difficult time retaining good employees, so the manager was given a blank cheque to increase salaries and restructure his department. After the fifth murder, the city's police officers were given a blank cheque to use whatever resources they needed in order to find the serial killer before he struck again. Can you believe the boss gave me a blank cheque on this project? Finally, I can present a campaign with my own vision without cutting corners on cost!

See also: blank, cheque

bogus check

A written order to a bank for a certain amount of funds that has been dishonored, either because such funds are not available or because the given checking account does not exist. Primarily heard in US. A lot of bogus checks have been circulating in the area lately, claiming to be from the local university; in reality, they are scams trying to swindle people out of money. This better not be a bogus check—I really need the money. I hear some creep has been passing through the state, depositing bogus checks on Fridays and then skipping town before the banks are open on Monday.

bounced check

A written order to a bank for a certain amount of funds that has been dishonored because such funds are not available in the account in question. Primarily heard in US. The bank notified me of several bounced checks that my husband has been writing around the country. I am so sorry about that bounced check. I thought I had more money in that account, I swear! I had no idea the company was failing until my paycheck turned out to be a bounced check.

cheque is in the mail

Payment (whether or not in the form of a cheque) is en route or will be sent shortly. Often used as an excuse to avoid the pressure of creditors or someone expecting payment for goods or services. Primarily heard in UK, Canada. A: "Mr. Smith, your mortgage payment is now two months overdue." B: "The cheque's in the mail, I promise you!" A: "Can you lend me $40 until I get paid next week?" B: "Sure thing, the cheque's in the mail." Oh, that's strange, the cheque is in the mail. I don't know why it hasn't reached you yet, sir.

cold check

A written order to a bank for a certain amount of funds that has been dishonored, either because such funds are not available or because the given checking account does not exist. Primarily heard in US. A lot of cold checks have been circulating in the area lately, claiming to be from the local university; in reality, they are scams trying to swindle people out of money. This better not be a cold check—I really need the money. I hear some creep has been passing through the state, depositing cold checks on Fridays and then skipping town before the banks are open on Monday.

fake cheque

1. A written order to a bank that has been forged. Primarily heard in UK, Canada. A lot of fake cheques have been circulating in the area lately, claiming to be from the local university; in reality, they are scams trying to swindle people out of money. Luckily, the bank teller realized it was a fake cheque that had been stolen out of the mail, bleached, and filled out with false information. Sir, that is obviously a fake cheque. Why would I suddenly be paying $30,000 to someone I've never met?

2. A written order to a bank for a certain amount of funds that has been dishonored, either because such funds are not available or because the given checking account does not exist. Primarily heard in UK, Canada. My ex-husband has been writing fake cheques all over town to pay for his gambling debt. This better not be a fake cheque—I really need the money. I hear some creep has been passing through the state, depositing fake cheques on Fridays and then skipping town before the banks are open on Monday.

get a blank check

1. Literally, to receive a check with the amount left blank, so that it can be written out for the desired total. I got a blank check for school supplies from my parents. They said just to buy whatever I thought I would need. Since none of us know how much this will end up costing me, can I just get a blank check ahead of time? A: "Did that charity really get a blank check from you? But they could write down an obscene amount for your donation!" B: "So be it. I've got the money, and it's going to a good cause."

2. By extension, to be given freedom or permission to spend as much money or use as much resources as needed in pursuit of a desire or goal. The company was having a difficult time retaining good employees, so the manager got a blank check from the CEO to increase salaries and restructure his department. If you think you're going to get a blank check from your insurance company to cover whatever costs come up, well, you've got another think coming. Can you believe I got a blank check from the boss on this project? Finally, I can present a campaign with my own vision without cutting corners on cost!

hot check

A written order to a bank for a certain amount of funds that has been dishonored, either because such funds are not available or because the given checking account does not exist. Primarily heard in US. A lot of hot checks have been circulating in the area lately, claiming to be from the local university; in reality, they are scams trying to swindle people out of money. This better not be a hot check—I really need the money. I hear some creep has been passing through the state, depositing hot checks on Fridays and then skipping town before the banks are open on Monday.

live paycheck to paycheck

To spend all of the money one earns by or before the next time one is paid, thus saving none or very little in the process. Primarily heard in US. We're already living paycheck to paycheck, so I don't know how we'll manage this sudden increase in our rent.

rain check

1. A substitute ticket or pass to attend an event that has been postponed for a later date. They emailed us a rain check for the concert after the guitarist broke his hand in a rock-climbing accident.

2. By extension, a promise to take up an offer that one has initially declined. I'm sorry, but I'll have to take a rain check for dinner this Saturday. Would next weekend work for you?

rubber check

A check that draws upon a bank account which does not have enough funds to cover the amount. The check is called "rubber" because it "bounces" (i.e., it is not honored because of insufficient funds). Primarily heard in US. The man was finally arrested after years of writing rubber checks to businesses all around the country.

take a rain check

To decline an offer or invitation but with the hope or promise that it can be postponed to a later date or time. I'm sorry, but I'll have to take a rain check for dinner this Saturday. Would next weekend work for you?

See also: check, rain, take

take a ride to Tyburn

obsolete To go to one's execution, especially by hanging. (From the Anglo-Saxon town of Tyburn, renowned for its practice of capital punishment.) The knave, found guilty of the theft of a loaf of bread, will be taking a ride to Tyburn in a fortnight's time.

rain check (on something)

1. a piece of paper allowing one to see an event -- which has been canceled -- at a later time. (Originally said of sporting events that had to be canceled because of rain. *Typically: get ~; have ~; take ~; give someone ~.) The game was canceled because of the storm, but we all got rain checks on it. I can't use a rain check because I'm leaving town for a month.

2. a reissuance of an invitation at a later date. (Said to someone who has invited you to something that you cannot attend now, but would like to attend at a later time. *Typically: get ~; have ~; take ~; give someone ~.) We would love to come to your house, but we are busy next Saturday. Could we take a rain check on your kind invitation? Oh, yes. You have a rain check that's good anytime you can come by and visit.

3. a piece of paper that allows one to purchase an item on sale at a later date. (Stores issue these pieces of paper when they run out of specially priced sale merchandise. *Typically: get ~; have ~; take ~; give someone ~.) The store was all out of the shampoo they advertised, but I got a rain check. Yes, you should always take a rain check so you can get it at the sale price later when they have more.

take a rain check

(on something) Go to a rain check (on something).

See also: check, rain, take

rain check

A promise that an unaccepted offer will be renewed in the future, as in I can't come to dinner Tuesday but hope you'll give me a rain check. This term comes from baseball, where in the 1880s it became the practice to offer paying spectators a rain check entitling them to future admission for a game that was postponed or ended early owing to bad weather. By the early 1900s the term was transferred to tickets for other kinds of entertainment, and later to a coupon entitling a customer to buy, at a later date and at the same price, a sale item temporarily out of stock.

rubber check

A check drawn on an account without the funds to pay it, as in He's been handing out rubber checks right and left, but the police have caught up with him . The rubber alludes to the fact that, like rubber, the check "bounces," in this case back from the bank. [Slang; c. 1920]

a blank cheque

COMMON

1. If you give someone a blank cheque to do something, you give them complete authority to do what they think is best in a difficult situation. Note: `Cheque' is spelled `check' in American English. De Klerk had, in a sense, been given a blank cheque to negotiate the new South Africa. The president was effectively given a blank check to commit the nation to war. Note: This expression is used mainly in talking about politics.

2. If you describe an amount of money as a blank cheque, you mean it is unlimited. Note: `Cheque' is spelled `check' in American English. We are not prepared to write a blank cheque for companies that have run into trouble through poor management. Note: This expression is sometimes used literally to mean that someone gives another person a cheque without an amount of money written on it.

See also: blank, cheque

take a rain check

INFORMAL

If you tell someone you will take a rain check, you are saying that you will not accept their offer now but that you might accept it at a different time. I'm sorry, Mimi, I'm just too exhausted to go out tonight. Could I take a rain check? She says she'd like to take a rain check on it and do it in May. Note: This expression refers to baseball. If a baseball game was cancelled because of rain, people were entitled to see another game by showing their original ticket or receipt. This ticket was called a rain check.

See also: check, rain, take

a blank cheque

unlimited scope, especially to spend money.

A blank cheque is literally one in which the amount of money to be paid has not been filled in by the payer.

See also: blank, cheque

take a rain check

said when politely refusing an offer, with the implication that you may take it up at a later date. North American

A rain check is a ticket given to spectators at US sporting events enabling them to claim a refund of their entrance money or gain admission on another occasion if the event is cancelled because of rain. The rain-check system is mentioned as operating in US sports grounds in the late 19th century; the figurative use of the word dates from the early 20th century.

See also: check, rain, take

rubber cheque

a cheque that is returned unpaid. informal humorous

The expression plays on the idea of a cheque that ‘bounces’, or is unpaid because there are insufficient funds in the drawer's account to cover it.

a blank ˈcheque

(British English) (American English a blank ˈcheck) permission to act as you like (especially to spend money) in a particular task or situation: Just because I asked you to speak on my behalf, that didn’t mean you had a blank cheque to promise anything you liked. ♢ She was given a blank cheque and told to hire the best singers she could.

See also: blank, cheque

take a ˈrain check (on something)

(informal, especially American English) used to refuse an offer or invitation but to say that you will accept it later: ‘Would you like to try that new restaurant tonight?’ ‘I’m afraid I’m busy tonight, but can I take a rain check?’A rain check was originally a ticket that was given to spectators at an outdoor event if it was cancelled or interrupted by rain. They could then use this ticket at a future event.

See also: check, rain, take

hot check

n. a bad check. The crook got picked up after passing a hot check.

rubber (check)

n. a check that bounces; a forged check. (see also bounce.) The bank says I wrote a rubber check, but I’m sure there was enough money on deposit.