Meaning & use
doff a hat
Last updated
Meaning
phraseidiomformalliterary
To lift or remove your hat as a sign of respect or greeting.
Grammar: Used as a verb phrase; the object is usually 'a hat' or 'your hat'. Often followed by 'to someone'.
Patterns
- doff a hat to someone
- doff your hat
- doff a hat in greeting
The gentleman doffed his hat to the lady as she passed.
In the old portrait, the man is doffing a hat to greet the viewer.
He doffed a hat to the crowd after his speech.
Word forms
| third person singular | doffs a hat |
|---|---|
| past tense | doffed a hat |
| past participle | doffed a hat |
| -ing form | doffing a hat |
Common combinations
- doff a hat to someone
- The actor doffed a hat to his fans.
- doff your hat
- He doffed his hat as a sign of respect.
- doff a hat in greeting
- She doffed a hat in greeting when she saw her teacher.
Synonyms and how they differ
- tip your hat
- Means to touch or lift your hat slightly as a greeting; 'doff' often implies removing it completely, and is more formal.
- take off your hat
- The everyday phrase; 'doff' is literary and old-fashioned.
- raise your hat
- Similar but usually just lifting it, not removing it; 'doff' suggests taking it off.
Opposites
Word family
- doff verb
- To remove an item of clothing, especially a hat; used without 'a hat'.
Commonly confused: doff a hat or don?
doff a hat vs don
Means to put on clothing, the opposite of 'doff'. 'Don a hat' means put it on; 'doff a hat' means take it off.
Practice
What does 'doff a hat' mean?
Choose one answer.
'Doff' means to take off or lift a hat as a sign of respect. 'Put on' is the opposite and is expressed by 'don a hat'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “doff a hat”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.