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1a covering made to fit the head, often with a brim (= a flat edge that sticks out) and worn out of doors a straw/woolen, etc. hat to put on/take off a hat
- 2(informal) a position or role, especially an official or professional role, when you have more than one such role I'm wearing two hats tonight—parent and teacher. I'm telling you this with my lawyer's hat on, you understand. see old hat Idioms
immediately; without hesitating The company can't expect me to move my home and family at the drop of a hat.
to ask someone for something, especially money, in a very polite way that makes you seem less important There's no way he'll go hat in hand to his brother.
used to express surprise
hats off to somebody, I take my hat off to somebody, I tip my hat to somebody (informal) jump to other results
used to say that you think something is very unlikely to happen If she's here on time, I'll eat my hat!
to keep something secret and not tell anyone else
if something such as a name is picked out of a/the hat, it is picked at random from a container into which all the names are put, so that each name has an equal chance of being picked, in a competition, etc.
to collect money from a number of people, for example to buy a present for someone
to suddenly produce something as a solution to a problem
to announce officially that you are going to compete in an election, a competition, etc.
Check pronunciation: hat