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Thread: without paying

  1. #1
    Ashiuhto is offline Senior Member
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    Default without paying

    I'm looking for an appropriate single adjective or phrase to discribe the following situation.

    (1) If someone who didn't pay the bill after he/she ate a meal at a restaurant, how to call the person's behavior?

    (2) Likewise if someone who took a bus, taxi, or train, without buying a ticket, how to describe his/her behavior?

  2. #2
    Tdol is offline Editor, UsingEnglish.com
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    Default Re: without paying

    In BrE, if you leave a restaurant without paying, you do a runner. You're a fare dodger if you travel on a bus or train without a ticket. In London, I have heard the long articulated buses called free buses because it's supposed to be very easy to travel on them without a ticket. Others will no doubt have other ways of saying these.
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  3. #3
    SoothingDave is offline VIP Member
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    Default Re: without paying

    1. In America, we would say they "ran out on the bill."
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  4. #4
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    riquecohen is offline Key Member
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    Default Re: without paying

    No. 2 would be called a fare-dodger.
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  5. #5
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    Default Re: without paying

    =============================
    Not a teacher, 53-year-old American.
    =============================

    Specifically for New York City subways - a fare-dodger is a 'turnstyle jumper'.
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  6. #6
    sitifan is offline Senior Member
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    Default Re: without paying

    skip the bill / run out on the bill

  7. #7
    Rover_KE is offline Moderator
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    Default Re: without paying

    Quote Originally Posted by Ashiuhto View Post
    I'm looking for an appropriate single adjective to describe the following behaviour.
    This behaviour is dishonest.

    Rover
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  8. #8
    Coolfootluke is offline Member
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    Default Re: without paying

    Quote Originally Posted by opa6x57 View Post
    =============================
    Not a teacher, 53-year-old American.
    =============================

    Specifically for New York City subways - a fare-dodger is a 'turnstyle jumper'.
    I am not a teacher.

    turnstile

    You can skip out on the check.

  9. #9
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    BobK is offline Harmless drudge
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    Default Re: without paying

    People who try to get anything for nothing are 'freeloaders' - but this would apply to someone who went with friends to a restaurant and left before the bill came. This isn't breaking the law, because the friends pay the bill. But it puts a strain on the friendship.

    b
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