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Sep 17, 2019 at 21:15 comment added Wilbur Whateley "Theater hopping" in the context of movie theaters, used in the US. This usually infers you pay for one movie, then at the end sneak into the next theater for a second movie you didn't pay for. Oh, there is an answer for this below. But since the context is so narrow, I thought it only warranted a comment.
Dec 14, 2017 at 13:50 comment added Darren Ringer I don't really see "gate crasher" as having any more of a negative connotation than "one who sneaks into and stays in places where they [weren't] invited". As for the issue that this isn't used with regard to theater performances, I agree (as those are not primarily social functions: it is theoretically possible to be the only person in attendance), but that isn't explicitly part of the original question.
Dec 13, 2017 at 18:22 comment added Quuxplusone FWIW, this 30-something American would spell it without the hyphen: "gatecrasher". (But: party crasher, wedding crasher. And if I needed to talk about a "class-crasher" I'd hyphenate.)
Dec 12, 2017 at 10:09 comment added 1006a The -crasher part of this noun is also semi-productive, so you have party crashers, wedding crashers, yard crashers, and even class-crashers.
Dec 12, 2017 at 10:07 comment added John-M The fact that all of these words have negative connotations probably says something about the culture of English speaking societies... at least in my own experience this behavior is not viewed very favorably since people could reasonably believe you're benefiting from something for which you didn't contribute like other participants. I would be surprised to see positive or even neutral words to describe this sort of thing, even if the original question doesn't describe the situation negatively.
Dec 11, 2017 at 22:54 comment added David K @Dúthomhas At this point in time I don't see any answers that have been posted without a negative connotation. And not all gate-crashers are as noisy and rude as the ones in your link. Sometimes the negative connotation is just that they are taking up space and making the place more crowded.
Dec 11, 2017 at 22:42 comment added Dúthomhas I disagree with this being a good match for the OP’s situation, which is not described as negative in the way that gate-crasher typically indicates. Dry links to Dictionary.com leave out idiomatic value common in use.
Dec 11, 2017 at 22:32 comment added David K @Dúthomhas With what statement do you disagree? I don't see anything in the question or answer that indicates a positive or neutral connotation.
Dec 11, 2017 at 22:22 comment added Dúthomhas Disagree — gate-crasher often has a negative connotation, particularly with regard to disruption caused by the entry.
Dec 11, 2017 at 20:31 comment added David K @Lambie Honestly, I can't recall hearing of gate-crashers at a performance in a theater (they're mentioned in the answer only because that's what my research dug up), but if there were gate-crashers they wouldn't have done business with you. If they had, they'd have been ticket-holders.
Dec 11, 2017 at 20:25 comment added Lambie Frankly, I ain't never heard it for a theater. And believe me, I would have heard it since at one time was scalping theater tickets in NYC.
Dec 11, 2017 at 18:06 history edited David K CC BY-SA 3.0
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Dec 11, 2017 at 18:01 history answered David K CC BY-SA 3.0