Dictionary

hats off en · INTJ

Pronunciation

• /hæts‿ˈɔf/ (General-American)
• hăts′ ŏf′
• (Australia) audio
• hăts′ ôf′
• /hæts‿ˈɒf/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /-ˈɑf/ (General-American, cot-caught-merger)

Etymology

Ellipsis of take one’s hat off to.

Meanings

1. (as an imperative, dated) Used as an instruction for people to remove their hats out of respect, generally towards someone of importance.
   • "Hats off to the King!" shouted the Captain of the King's Own Guards. 1938 September 1, Dr. Seuss [pseudonym; Theodor Seuss Geisel], The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins, New York, N.Y.: Vanguard Press, →OCLC:
   • Soh! ſtand clear gentlemen.—Novv you knovv there vvill be a cry of dovvn!—dovvn!—hats off! ſilence!—Then up curtain,—and let us ſee vvhat our painters have done for us. 1781, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, The Critic: Or A Tragedy Rehearsed […], London: […] T[homas] Becket, […], →OCLC, Act II, scene i, page 51:
2. (as an imperative, figuratively) Used to express approval or praise: congratulations, kudos, well done!
   • Hats off to the Jamaican bobsled team for their able representation of their country in the Olympics against serious obstacles.
   • Hats off to Avanti West Coast staff at Crewe station, who found a simple but highly effective way to raise money for charity during the Coronavirus epidemic. 2020 December 6, “Stop & Examine”, in Rail, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire: Bauer Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 71:

Relateds

tip one's hat · tip of the hat · take one's hat off to · doff one's hat to · hat tip · tip of the Stetson

Synonyms

good for someone · hurrah · encore · good on you · well said · bravo · hon · good for you · well done · good going · fair fucks · nice one · huzzah · hoorah · right on · mazel tov · bravissimo · congratulations · good show · hats off · cock on · get you · kudos · good job · good work · full marks · jolly good show · bully · hooray · way to go · hurray · shabash · huzza · keep it up · congrats · mazal tov · there you go · proper job

Translations (19)

de Chapeau (used to express approval or praise — see also congratulations, well done) · es quitar el sombrero (used to express approval or praise — see also congratulations, well done) · es sacar el sombrero (used to express approval or praise — see also congratulations, well done) · pl chapeau bas (used to express approval or praise — see also congratulations, well done) · nl petje af (used to express approval or praise — see also congratulations, well done) · fi nosta hattua (used as an instruction for people to remove their hats out of respect) · de Hut ab (used to express approval or praise — see also congratulations, well done) · pl czapki z głów (used to express approval or praise — see also congratulations, well done) · hu le a kalappal (used to express approval or praise — see also congratulations, well done) · fr chapeau (used to express approval or praise — see also congratulations, well done) · fi nostakaa hattua (used as an instruction for people to remove their hats out of respect) · cs klobouk dolů (used to express approval or praise — see also congratulations, well done) · sl kápo dòl (used to express approval or praise — see also congratulations, well done) · fi nostan hattua (used to express approval or praise — see also congratulations, well done) · pl czapki z głów (used as an instruction for people to remove their hats out of respect) · ja 脱帽 (used to express approval or praise — see also congratulations, well done) · fr chapeau bas (used to express approval or praise — see also congratulations, well done) · sv hatten av (för) (used to express approval or praise — see also congratulations, well done) · sk klobúk dolu (used to express approval or praise — see also congratulations, well done)

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