hats off

Ellipsis of take one’s hat off to.^[1][2]

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /hæts‿ˈɒf/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /hæts‿ˈɔf/, (cot–caught merger) /-ˈɑf/

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɒf

hats off (as an imperative)

1. (dated) Used as an instruction for people to remove their hats out of respect, generally towards someone of importance.
   • 1781, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, The Critic: Or A Tragedy Rehearsed […], London: […] T[homas] Becket, […], →OCLC, Act II, scene i, page 51:

     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.

   • 1938 September 1, Dr. Seuss [pseudonym; Theodor Seuss Geisel], The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins‎^[1], New York, N.Y.: Vanguard Press, →OCLC:

     "Hats off to the King!" shouted the Captain of the King's Own Guards.

2. (figurative) Followed by to: used to express approval or praise: congratulations, kudos, well done!

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:well done

   Hats off to the Jamaican bobsled team for their able representation of their country in the Olympics against serious obstacles.

   • 2020 December 6, “Stop & Examine”, in Rail, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire: Bauer Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 71:

     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.

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