Definition

Noun: A conditional release document historically issued to a convict, granting permission to leave prison before the full sentence was served, subject to specific behavioral rules and ongoing supervision.

Usage

This term refers specifically to the legal document or the conditional release status itself within certain historical penal systems, notably in 19th-century Britain and its colonies like Australia. * The reformed prisoner was granted a ticket-of-leave after several years of good behavior. * Holding a ticket-of-leave meant he could work in the community but had to report regularly to the authorities.

Advanced Usage

• "ticket-of-leave man": A historical term for a convict who was released under such a permit.
  • The town was wary of the new arrival, a ticket-of-leave man from the penal colony.

Variants and Related Words

• Parole (n): The modern equivalent system of conditional supervised release from prison. (Note: "Parole" is the contemporary term, while "ticket-of-leave" is historical.)
• Probation (n): A similar system of supervision, often as an alternative to imprisonment.

Synonyms

• Conditional release
• Provisional discharge
• License (in the historical/legal sense)

Related Idioms

• To be on a ticket-of-leave: To be in the state of conditional release governed by such a permit.
  • He found employment while on a ticket-of-leave, knowing any crime would send him back to prison.

Noun

1. a permit formerly given to convicts allowing them to leave prison under specific restrictions