hat
♦ hat /h'æt/ (hats)
1 [N-COUNT]
A hat is a head covering, often with a brim round it, which is usually worn out of doors to give protection from the weather.
2 [N-COUNT] with supp
If you say that someone is wearing a particular hat, you mean that they are performing a particular role at that time. If you say that they wear several hats, you mean that they have several roles or jobs.
...putting on my nationalistic hat.
...various problems, including too many people wearing too many hats.
3 [PHRASE] PHR after v
If you say that you are ready to do something at the drop of a hat, you mean that you are willing to do it immediately, without hesitating.
India is one part of the world I would go to at the drop of a hat.
4 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you tell someone to keep a piece of information under their hat, you are asking them not to tell anyone else about it.
Look, if I tell you something, will you promise to keep it under your hat?...
5 [PHRASE] v-link PHR
If you say that something or someone is old hat, you mean that they have existed or been known for a long time, and they have become uninteresting and boring.
The younger generation tell me that religion is `old hat' and science has proved this.
6 [PHRASE] V inflects
In British English, if you pass the hat around, you collect money from a group of people, for example in order to give someone a present. In American English, you just say pass the hat.
Professors are passing the hat to help staff in their department.
7 [PHRASE] V inflects, PHR n
If you say that you take your hat off to someone, you mean that you admire them for something that they have done.
I take my hat off to Mr Clarke for taking this action...
8 [PHRASE] V inflects
To pull something out of the hat means to do something unexpected which helps you to succeed, often when you are failing.
Southampton had somehow managed to pull another Cup victory out of the hat.
9 [PHRASE] PHR after v
In competitions, if you say that the winners will be drawn or picked out of the hat, you mean that they will be chosen randomly, so everyone has an equal chance of winning.
The first 10 correct entries drawn out of the hat will win a pair of tickets, worth £20 each.
10
to knock something into a cocked hat: see cocked hatbob|ble hat (bobble hats)
[N-COUNT]
A bobble hat is a woollen hat with a bobble on it. (BRIT)bow|ler hat (bowler hats)
[N-COUNT]
A bowler hat is a round, hard, black hat with a narrow brim which is worn by men, especially British businessmen. Bowler hats are no longer very common. (mainly BRIT; in AM, use derby)
= bowlercocked hat (cocked hats)
1 [N-COUNT]
A cocked hat is a hat with three corners that used to be worn with some uniforms.
2 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you say that one thing knocks another thing into a cocked hat, you mean that it is much better or much more significant than the other thing.
This design knocks everything else into a cocked hat.hard hat (hard hats)
[N-COUNT]
A hard hat is a hat made from a hard material, which people wear to protect their heads on building sites or in factories, or when riding a horse.old hat
see hatpana|ma hat /p'ænəmɑː h'æt/ (panama hats)
[N-COUNT]
A panama hat or a panama is a hat, worn especially by men, that is woven from the leaves of a palm-like plant and worn when it is sunny.sun hat (sun hats)
also sunhat
[N-COUNT]
A sun hat is a wide-brimmed hat that protects your head from the sun.top hat (top hats)
[N-COUNT]
A top hat is a man's tall hat with a narrow brim. Top hats are now worn only on special occasions, for example at some weddings.
1 [N-COUNT]
A hat is a head covering, often with a brim round it, which is usually worn out of doors to give protection from the weather.
2 [N-COUNT] with supp
If you say that someone is wearing a particular hat, you mean that they are performing a particular role at that time. If you say that they wear several hats, you mean that they have several roles or jobs.
...putting on my nationalistic hat.
...various problems, including too many people wearing too many hats.
3 [PHRASE] PHR after v
If you say that you are ready to do something at the drop of a hat, you mean that you are willing to do it immediately, without hesitating.
India is one part of the world I would go to at the drop of a hat.
4 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you tell someone to keep a piece of information under their hat, you are asking them not to tell anyone else about it.
Look, if I tell you something, will you promise to keep it under your hat?...
5 [PHRASE] v-link PHR
If you say that something or someone is old hat, you mean that they have existed or been known for a long time, and they have become uninteresting and boring.
The younger generation tell me that religion is `old hat' and science has proved this.
6 [PHRASE] V inflects
In British English, if you pass the hat around, you collect money from a group of people, for example in order to give someone a present. In American English, you just say pass the hat.
Professors are passing the hat to help staff in their department.
7 [PHRASE] V inflects, PHR n
If you say that you take your hat off to someone, you mean that you admire them for something that they have done.
I take my hat off to Mr Clarke for taking this action...
8 [PHRASE] V inflects
To pull something out of the hat means to do something unexpected which helps you to succeed, often when you are failing.
Southampton had somehow managed to pull another Cup victory out of the hat.
9 [PHRASE] PHR after v
In competitions, if you say that the winners will be drawn or picked out of the hat, you mean that they will be chosen randomly, so everyone has an equal chance of winning.
The first 10 correct entries drawn out of the hat will win a pair of tickets, worth £20 each.
10
to knock something into a cocked hat: see cocked hatbob|ble hat (bobble hats)
[N-COUNT]
A bobble hat is a woollen hat with a bobble on it. (BRIT)bow|ler hat (bowler hats)
[N-COUNT]
A bowler hat is a round, hard, black hat with a narrow brim which is worn by men, especially British businessmen. Bowler hats are no longer very common. (mainly BRIT; in AM, use derby)
= bowlercocked hat (cocked hats)
1 [N-COUNT]
A cocked hat is a hat with three corners that used to be worn with some uniforms.
2 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you say that one thing knocks another thing into a cocked hat, you mean that it is much better or much more significant than the other thing.
This design knocks everything else into a cocked hat.hard hat (hard hats)
[N-COUNT]
A hard hat is a hat made from a hard material, which people wear to protect their heads on building sites or in factories, or when riding a horse.old hat
see hatpana|ma hat /p'ænəmɑː h'æt/ (panama hats)
[N-COUNT]
A panama hat or a panama is a hat, worn especially by men, that is woven from the leaves of a palm-like plant and worn when it is sunny.sun hat (sun hats)
also sunhat
[N-COUNT]
A sun hat is a wide-brimmed hat that protects your head from the sun.top hat (top hats)
[N-COUNT]
A top hat is a man's tall hat with a narrow brim. Top hats are now worn only on special occasions, for example at some weddings.