pick out of a hat en · VERB
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
Referring to the impromptu use of one's hat as a receptacle for drawing paper lots from.
Meanings
- To determine by chance, especially by drawing lots.
-
To substitute a guess for unavailable data.
That number was just picked out of a hat.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| picked out of a hat | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| picked out of a hat | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| pick from a hat | alternative | lexicographic | |
| picking out of a hat | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| picks out of a hat | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic |