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Wolf ticket (or woof ticket) is an African-American slang term meaning a verbal threat, criticism, or insult. The term originates from woofing, meaning aimless talk, an onomatopoeic reference to the sound of dogs barking. It is usually used as a part of the phrase "to sell wolf tickets", meaning to bluff or threaten someone in a boastful way, or "to buy wolf tickets", meaning to believe the threats as real or accept the implied challenge.
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Wilton, Dave (1 March 2003). "American Dialect: African-American Speech". Wordorigins.org. http://www.wordorigins.org/index.php/site/comments/american_dialect_african_american_speech/. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
"Re: Selling woof tickets". The Phrase Finder. 4 December 2001. http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/12/messages/286.html. Retrieved 6 July 2010.