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| hat [ hat ] (plural hats) |
noun |
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| Definition: |
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1. head covering: a covering for the head, worn for protection from the weather or as a fashion accessory
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2. area of responsibility: an area of interest or responsibility of somebody who has more than one interest or responsibility in a particular situation
  Which hat will you be wearing at the meeting - parent or teacher?
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| [ Old English hæt(t), via Germanic, "hood, cowl" < Indo-European, "to cover"] |
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| hat·ted adjective |
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hang up your hat
1. to retire from work
When this project's finished he's going to hang up his hat and retire to the country.
2. to settle down to a calmer, more stable lifestyle after an extended period of stress or activity
Children of military personnel move so frequently that they'd like to find just one place in which to hang up their hats.
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hat in hand asking or begging for something such as assistance or money
He had to go hat in hand to the courthouse, asking for legal relief in the matter.
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hats off to somebody a way of saying that somebody has gained your respect or admiration
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keep something under your hat to keep something secret
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pass the hat to collect contributions for somebody or something
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pull something out of a or your hat to do something that seemed very difficult or impossible to achieve, as if by a magic trick (informal)
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take your hat off to somebody to acknowledge admiration or respect for somebody
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talk through your hat to talk nonsense (informal)
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throw your hat into the ring to volunteer to take part in a particular contest
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