at the drop of a hat en · ADP
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
From the customary starting of competitions by making a sweeping downward motion with a cap.
Meanings
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(idiomatic, informal) Without any hesitation; instantly.
If you need help, just call on Mike. He can come at the drop of a hat.
A tremendous thing happened when Dean met Carlo Marx. Two keen minds that they are, they took to each other at the drop of a hat.
1957 September 5, Jack Kerouac, chapter 1, in On the Road, New York, N.Y.: Viking Press, →OCLC, part 1:We're expected to just do it at the drop of a hat.
Let's face it. We are swollen up like an overfed slug, our breath stinks, the tiniest irritant is magnified ten thousand times, and we cry at the drop of a hat.
2014, Becky Rutledge, Miss Becky's Charm School, Citadel Press, →ISBN:
Synonyms
in a heartbeat · off the cuff · at a moment's notice · at once
Translations (30)
de von heute auf morgen (instantly, without hesitation) · fi epäröimättä (instantly, without hesitation) · pl na zawołanie (instantly, without hesitation) · es al instante (instantly, without hesitation) · eu begien itxi-irekian (instantly, without hesitation) · fr en un claquement de doigts (instantly, without hesitation) · apc بغمضة عين (instantly, without hesitation) · fi käden käänteessä (instantly, without hesitation) · it in men che non si dica (instantly, without hesitation) · eu begien itxi-ireki batean (instantly, without hesitation) · it in un battito d'ali (instantly, without hesitation) · es en un abrir y cerrar de ojos (instantly, without hesitation) · pl w mgnieniu oka (instantly, without hesitation) · pt num abrir e fechar de olhos (instantly, without hesitation) · es de inmediato (instantly, without hesitation) · ru ми́гом (instantly, without hesitation) · it in un batter d'occhio (instantly, without hesitation) · ru за́просто (instantly, without hesitation) · ru в мгнове́ние о́ка (instantly, without hesitation) · fi alta aikayksikön (instantly, without hesitation) · pl w każdej chwili (instantly, without hesitation) · fi tuosta vain (instantly, without hesitation) · ru ту́т же (instantly, without hesitation) · es a las primeras de cambio (instantly, without hesitation) · es de buenas a primeras (instantly, without hesitation) · pt com um estalar de dedos (instantly, without hesitation) · pt em um piscar de olhos (instantly, without hesitation) · de von einem Tag auf den anderen (instantly, without hesitation) · el στο πι και φι (instantly, without hesitation) · fi hetkessä (instantly, without hesitation)