Speeding Ticket: Definition, Examples & Tips

Meaning 1：speeding ticket (speeding ticket)

speeding ticket 🔊

/ˈspiːdɪŋ ˌtɪkɪt/

A notice from police or a camera that you drove too fast and must pay money.

speeding ticket 🔊

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/ˈspiːdɪŋ ˌtɪkɪt/

A legal notice issued by a traffic officer or automated camera stating that a driver exceeded the posted speed limit, requiring a fine or court appearance.

📁 Category：Laws & Regulations 🔖 Level：intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From 'speed' (rate of motion) + 'ticket' (written notice), referring to a citation for exceeding the speed limit.

💡 Mnemonic

Think: You're speeding, so the police hand you a 'ticket' – like a movie ticket you didn't want.

📖 Example

Tom got a speeding ticket on his way to work because he was worried about being late. 🔊 Tom got a speeding ticket on his way to work because he was worried about being late.

🔗 Collocations

get a speeding ticket – receive a citation for speeding

pay a speeding ticket – settle the fine for a speeding violation

contest a speeding ticket – formally dispute the citation in court

🔄 Synonyms

traffic citation (n.) – A formal notice for a traffic violation, often interchangeable with speeding ticket.

speeding citation (n.) – A citation specifically for exceeding the speed limit.

traffic fine (n.) – A monetary penalty for a traffic offense, which may result from a speeding ticket.

📖 Cultural Story

The term emerged in the early 20th century with the rise of automobiles and traffic laws. Police began issuing written citations for speeding, and 'ticket' (from Old French 'estiquet') became the standard term for a fine notice.