Meaning & use
doff hat
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Meanings
phraseidiomformalold-fashioned
To remove your hat briefly as a polite greeting or sign of respect.
Grammar: Used as a fixed phrase; 'doff' takes an object, so you doff your hat, not just doff.
Patterns
- doff your hat to someone
- doff your hat at someone
He doffed his hat to the lady as she passed.
The old man doffed his hat and wished us good morning.
In those days a gentleman would doff his hat when entering a house.
phraseidiomfigurativeformal
To show respect or admiration for someone, often in writing or speech.
Grammar: Figurative use; usually followed by 'to' and the person being praised.
Patterns
- doff your hat to someone
- doff your hat to something
We doff our hats to the volunteers who worked through the night.
You have to doff your hat to her for finishing the race with an injury.
Common combinations
- doff your hat to someone
- The crowd doffed their hats to the returning soldiers.
- doff your cap
- He doffed his cap politely at the door.
- doff one's hat
- She doffed her hat and smiled at the guests.
Synonyms and how they differ
- tip your hat
- More common in modern English and often suggests a quick, casual touch of the hat rather than taking it off.
- raise your hat
- Focuses on lifting the hat slightly, usually as a friendly greeting.
- take off your hat
- The plain, everyday phrase; it does not always carry the idea of a respectful greeting.
Opposites
Word family
- doff verb
- To remove a piece of clothing, especially a hat; formal or old-fashioned.
Commonly confused: doff hat or don?
doff hat vs don
'Don' means to put on clothing, the opposite of 'doff'. Both are formal and old-fashioned.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'doff hat' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Doff' is transitive, so the hat is the object, and 'to someone' shows whom you are greeting. The other options either misplace the object or use the wrong preposition.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “doff hat”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.