1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Ticket

TICKET (O. Fr. estiquet, also estiquette, mod. étiquette, from Ger. stechen, to stick up), by origin a small bill stuck up for the purpose of giving notice or information, hence a small printed or written card or slip, containing a notice, order or the like, and more particularly such an one as embodies the terms under which the party issuing the ticket grants some right, privilege or licence to the party to whom it is issued; where there has been valuable consideration for such given by the holder the ticket is the method by which the parties enter into a contract. The most familiar of this last class of tickets is the passenger's ticket issued by railway companies, tramways or “common carriers” in general. The ticket does not usually contain the whole terms of the contract, but refers to the conditions under which it is issued, to which the holder is considered subject if sufficient notice of them is given. A ticket of admission issued for a theatre, or place of entertainment, constitutes a licence to the holder to occupy and use a seat, whether particularized or not, and such parts of the building as may be open to him. Such a licence can be revoked by the issuer, and the holder may be ejected as a trespasser, subject to his right to bring an action for damages.