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hat(1) (iou)



hat noun. [hat]

A covering for the head worn by either sex; esp. one with a horizontal brim round the part covering the head (freq. with specifying word). OE.
bowler hat, Cossack hat, Gainsborough hat, hard hat, high hat, opera hat, sailor hat, stove-pipe hat, straw hat, top hat, Zulu hat, etc.
Day Lewis The..beautiful face is shadowed by a perfectly enormous hat. E. Welty A stylish hat with a quill slanting up from the crown.
A hat as showing the wearer's rank or office; spec. (in full red hat) the hat or dignity of a cardinal. ME.
A person's official capacity; one's status. Freq. in wear one's hat, wear two hats, below. M20.
J. D. Watson The hat he now displayed was that of the chairman of a committee.
Phrases: at the drop of a hat: see DROP noun 7. bad hat arch. slang a rascal, a ne'er-do-well. cock one's hat, cocked hat: see COCK verb1 6b. hang up one's hat: see HANG verb. hats off to : a call to acknowledge the outstanding qualities of a person or thing. I'll eat my hat if colloq. I shall be greatly astonished if (a predicted event does not take place). in a hat, in the hat slang in trouble, in a fix. keep under one's hat keep secret or confidential. my hat! expr. surprise. old hat slang (something regarded as) old-fashioned or tediously familiar. pass round the hat (lit. & fig.) solicit donations by personal appeal. pick out of a hat fig. select completely at random. pull one out of the hat bring off an unexpected trick in an apparently desperate situation. raise one's hat (of a man) lift the hat a short distance above the head, as a respectful salutation (foll. by to the person saluted). send round the hat = pass round the hat above. take off one's hat (a) (of a man) doff the hat, as a salutation or sign of respect; (b) fig. (foll. by to) acknowledge the outstanding qualities of. talk through one's hat: see TALK verb. throw one's hat into the ring announce one's intention of entering a contest. touch one's hat (of a man) touch the brim of the hat with the hand, as a respectful greeting (to a person). wear one's hat operate in one's capacity. wear two hats operate in two capacities simultaneously. whose hat covers his or her family (& vars.) who has only himself or herself to provide for. Yellow Hat: see YELLOW adjective.
Comb.: hatband (a) a narrow ribbon worn round a hat above the brim (gold hatband (Hist.), a gentleman commoner at a university); (b) a band of crape worn round a hat as a sign of mourning; hatbox a box to hold a hat, esp. for travelling; hat-check boy, hat-check girl N. Amer. a cloakroom attendant; hat-money a gratuity paid by a merchant to the master of a ship; primage; hatpin a long pin usu. with an ornamental head, used to secure a woman's hat to her hair; hatstand an upright stand with hooks for hanging hats etc. on; hat-tree US = hatstand above; hat trick (in cricket) the feat of taking three wickets with three successive balls; gen. the achievement of three (consecutive) successes in any other sport or activity.
hatful noun as much as a hat will hold; a large quantity: M17.
hatless adjective not having or wearing a hat LME.
hatlessness noun L19.