IDIOM:AT THE DROP OF A HAT-English Lesson To Develop Spoken English–Learn Grammar & Words

Posted by Nash Biani 

Learn To Speak Fluent English

 In This Spoken English Lesson

at the drop of a hat  

 

 

IDIOMS HELP TO MAKE YOUR SPOKEN ENGLISH BETTER. YOU SOUND MORE NATURAL AND FLUENT WHEN YOU SPEAK ENGLISH USING IDIOMS TO EXPRESS YOURSELF.

What is the meaning of this idiom?

at the drop of a hat:

When someone does something at the drop of a hat, it means that she or he does not need too much convincing or urging to do it. We don't have to tell them again and again to do it.

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They don’t need to prepare themselves to do it.They do it readily and easily. They do it immediately. It is something that is in their nature. This could even relate to a non-human entity like a company, an academy, a school, the municipality, the government etc. in which case, the idiom ‘at the drop of a hat’ would relate to the way they function, their administrative or business policies.

Examples:

1. 'Ruby could make a meal for ten persons at the drop of a hat.'

This means Ruby could prepare a meal for as many as ten people without advance notice or preparation.

2. 'Whenever I needed Henry, he came at the drop of a hat.'

Henry came immediately when I called him. He came readily

3. 'He sings at the drop of a hat.'

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He doesn’t need to be asked again and again, he doesn’t need to be urged by people to sing. He sings readily.

4. 'She starts crying at a drop of a hat.'

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She is very sentimental.She cries for any small reason, for any small thing.

5. 'The company sacks its employees at the drop of a hat.'

The company dismisses its 
employees for the slightest reason, for any small matter.

6. 'The academy conducts tests at the drop of a hat.'

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The academy has a lot of tests or exams for its students.

7. 'The municipality starts digging up the roads at the drop of a hat.

The municipality is always digging up the roads for some reason or the other.'

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8. 'Artibo Corporation enters into joint ventures at the drop of a hat.'

9. 'My wife goes off shopping at the drop of a hat. Very often our plans to do something together go for a toss and I have to twiddle my thumbs till she gets back.'

Be Careful Using This Idiom While Speaking English

Here, we need to be careful that we don’t use it for saying ‘immediately’ in the sense of urgency. 

Immediately here means readily rather than urgently.

These examples show wrong use of this idiom:

1. 'I want the files ready at the drop of a hat.' Not Correct

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You can say:

‘Bob is ready to work on any file at the drop of a hat.’ Correct

2. 'When I ring the bell, you have to come at the drop of a hat.' Not Correct

This is what you could say:

‘Stop ringing the bell and calling people to help you at the drop of a hat.’ Correct

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3. I placed the order for the pizza this morning and they sent it at the drop of a hat. Not Correct

Consider this:

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‘He orders pizza for everyone at the drop of a hat.’ Correct

Wow! Who’s this guy? He sure has a heart! 

Learn some more idioms for natural sounding English. 

You can also learn refresh your ideas about pronouns.

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