ticket
Preserved but no longer current.
"that’s the TICKET," i.e., that’s what is wanted, or what is best. Probable corruption of "that’s etiquette," or, perhaps, from TICKET, a bill or invoice. This phrase is sometimes extended into "that’s the TICKET for soup," in allusion to the card given to beggars for immediate relief at soup kitchens. See TICK.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “ticket” mean?
"that’s the TICKET," i.e., that’s what is wanted, or what is best. Probable corruption of "that’s etiquette," or, perhaps, from TICKET, a bill or invoice. This phrase is sometimes extended into "that’s the TICKET for soup," in allusion to the card given to beggars for immediate relief at soup kitchens. See TICK.
Is “ticket” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.