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one-way ticket to Palookaville

(idiomatic, originally, US) Something that results in failure or obscurity, with no chance at redemption; a dead end.

ˈwʌnˈweɪ ˈtɪkət ˈtu ˈpæləkoʊˌvɪkəlDocumented since 1950s1950sBoomerhistorical168 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
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Born ~1954 · no dated citations yet
1954BornToday, 2026

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#1·Apr 27, 2026

(idiomatic, originally, US) Something that results in failure or obscurity, with no chance at redemption; a dead end.

You remember that? "This ain't your night"! My night! I coulda taken Wilson apart! So what happens? He gets the title shot outdoors on the ballpark and what do I get? A one-way ticket to Palookaville!
Origin: From a line in the 1954 film On the Waterfront. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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