Where does the phrase at the drop of a hat come from?

The phrase ‘at the drop of a hat’ originates in the 19th century. During that time it was common to signal the beginning of a fight or race by either dropping a hat or sweeping it in a rapid downward motion.

What is another way to say at the drop of a hat?

What is another word for at the drop of a hat?

willingly	freely
without hesitation	without reluctance
absolutely	unquestionably
with pleasure	with good grace
like a shot	of one’s own accord

Do something at the drop of the hat?

If you do something at the drop of a hat, you do it immediately without stopping to think about it: People will file lawsuits at the drop of a hat these days.

What is at the drop of a hat an example of?

To do something at the drop of a hat means to do it immediately, without delay and at the slightest provocation. The idiom may have come from the American Old West, when various fights, contests and duels began with a signal consisting of a man grabbing his hat and thrusting it toward the ground.

Where did the saying I have a bone to pick with you come from?

Most sources state that this expression comes from a dog trying to pick off the meat from a bone, and one connotation of this idiom is trying to solve a difficult time-consuming problem. This is likely related to the fact that dogs often gnaw on a bone for very long periods of time, even when most of the meat is gone.

What does costs an arm and a leg mean?

Definition of cost an arm and a leg informal. : to be too expensive I want a new car that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.

What does hitting the nail on the head mean?

phrase. If you say that someone has hit the nail on the head, you think they are exactly right about something.

What is the meaning of last straw?

Definition of the final/last straw : the last in a series of bad things that happen to make someone very upset, angry, etc. It had been a difficult week, so when the car broke down, it was the last straw.

What is the meaning of at the drop of a hat falling to the ground without help with little persuading submit?

at the slightest signal. immediately, without delay. without any hesitation. without any planning and for no obvious reason.

What does hold her tongue mean?

Keep quiet, remain silent, as in If you don’t hold your tongue you’ll have to go outside, or Jenny kept her peace about the wedding. The idiom with tongue uses hold in the sense of “restrain,” while the others use hold and keep in the sense of “preserve.” Chaucer used the first idiom in The Tale of Melibus (c.

What does chewing on a bone mean?

Meaning: If someone is chewing on a bone, he or she is thinking about something intently.

What does the phrase “at the drop of a hat” mean?

At the Drop of a Hat. When you use the expression ‘At the Drop of a Hat’ you mean that something is. happening instantly, without any delay. Example of use: “We’re all packed and ready to go; we can leave at the drop of a hat.”. The phrase ‘at the drop of a hat’ originates in the 19th century.

What does the idiom “keep it under your hat” mean?

“Keep it under your hat” is a way of saying that a secret must be maintained, to preserve the confidentiality or secrecy of something. “Keep it under your hat” means that you know some information, but you won’t disclose or tell anyone.

What does the idiom pulling a rabbit out of your hat mean?

pull a rabbit out of (one’s)/the hat. To do something surprising and seemingly impossible; to produce something in a way that has no obvious explanation, as if done by magic. A reference to the clichéd magician’s trick of pulling a live rabbit out of a seemingly empty hat.

What does the idiom dropped the ball mean?

The idiom “to drop the ball” means to make a mistake, to make a blunder or to fail at something. For example, if John is always dropping the ball on his projects, that means that he consistently makes mistakes. The phrase is an American idiom that comes from ball games such as football or baseball,…