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Know Your English (April 2001)

Know your English

``WHAT IS the meaning and origin of the expression ``at the drop of a hat''?


When you say that you are willing to do something at the drop of a hat, it means that given the opportunity, you are willing to do it immediately. It is not necessary for anyone to urge you to do it. The task is something that you want to do and you needn't be told twice to do it. Here are a few examples.
Kamath was willing to help me with my homework at the drop of a hat.
I would go to Arunachal Pradesh at the drop of a hat.
The students were willing to sing at the drop of a hat.
According to some scholars, this idiom originated in the United States. During the days of the wild wild west, boxing contests were very popular - I guess this explains why Las Vegas hosts many of the bouts even today. During the early days however, bells were not used to inform the fighters when to begin their bout. Instead a hat or a cap was used. The referee, or the man who was getting the show on the road, raised his hat high and then he dropped it. The dropping of the hat signalled to the boxers that they could get on with the fight. And the boxers went about their business immediately; they didn't wait for a second invitation. The same signalling system was used in horse racing as well. As soon as the man at the starting gate lowered his hat or dropped it, the jockeys immediately spurred their horses on.


Source:
The Hindu daily, Tuesday, April 03, 2001

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