free pass

plural free passes

1. A document entitling the bearer to free transportation.

   As a railwayman put it to me: "When I saw chums of mine took their families down there by car, I could see the writing on the wall. We all had free passes, yet they got the car out!"

   2022 February 23, Benedict le Vay, “Part of rail's past... present... and future”, in RAIL, number 951, pages 53–54

2. figurativelyAn exemption from normal processes.

   At the same time, however, no one is entitled to a free pass to the nation's highest court.

   2009 May 27, “Sottomayor deserves Senate's respect”, in The Star-Ledger, Newark, NJ

   1 more example

   “A tiny elite appear to have a free pass to pollute,” said Nafkote Dabi, climate policy lead at Oxfam, which commissioned the study by the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) and the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI).

   2021 November 5, Phoebe Weston, quoting Nafkote Dabi, “‘Luxury carbon consumption’ of top 1% threatens 1.5C global heating limit”, in The Guardian

   Synonyms: exemption, get out of jail free card, immunity

3. ball gamesAn intentional walk.

   Smith was issued a free pass after Jones' double.