buy wolf tickets

English

Alternative forms

• buy woof tickets

Etymology

See sell wolf tickets.

Verb

buy wolf tickets (third-person singular simple present buys wolf tickets, present participle buying wolf tickets, simple past and past participle bought wolf tickets)

1. (African-American Vernacular) To call the bluff of, or respond to the threats or boasts of, someone who has been selling wolf tickets.
   • 2003, Elijah Anderson, A Place on the Corner, second, →ISBN, page 161:

     Dicky bought Terry's wolf tickets by responding with his own barbs and counterchallenges. "A'right, Mr. Motherfucker! I'm buying yo' wolf tickets! Now show me somethin', since you so big and bad," said Dicky […]

Usage notes

• Various words may be inserted into the expression; for example, in the 2003 quotation above, someone is said to have "bought Terry's wolf tickets".

Coordinate terms

• sell wolf tickets