take one's hat off to

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take one's hat off to (third-person singular simple present takes one's hat off to, present participle taking one's hat off to, simple past took one's hat off to, past participle taken one's hat off to)

1. To remove one's hat as a sign of respect to.
2. (idiomatic) To praise or thank; to congratulate.
   • 1934, Agatha Christie, chapter 8, in Murder on the Orient Express, London: HarperCollins, published 2017, page 255:

     'You will excuse me,' he said, 'but no one would believe it to look at you. I take my hat off to you. I do, indeed.

• hats off

• tip one's hat