Meaning & use
doff your hat
Last updated
Meanings
phrasefixed phraseliteraryold-fashioned
Remove your hat as a sign of respect or greeting.
Grammar: The possessive changes with the subject: I doff my hat, you doff your hat, he doffs his hat.
Patterns
- doff your hat to someone
- doff your hat as a sign of respect
He doffed his hat to the judge as he entered the courtroom.
She doffed her hat and bowed slightly.
phraseidiomfigurative
Express admiration or respect for someone (figurative).
Grammar: Often used in the phrase 'I doff my hat to you' to praise someone.
Patterns
- doff your hat to someone
I doff my hat to anyone who can learn five languages.
We doff our hats to the volunteers who helped after the flood.
Word forms
| third person singular | doffs your hat |
|---|---|
| past tense | doffed your hat |
| past participle | doffed your hat |
| -ing form | doffing your hat |
Common combinations
- doff your hat to someone
- The gentleman doffed his hat to the ladies.
- doff your hat as a sign of respect
- In some cultures, you doff your hat as a sign of respect.
- I doff my hat to you
- You finished the marathon in under three hours? I doff my hat to you!
Synonyms and how they differ
- take off your hat
- The modern, everyday way to say this; use it in conversation.
- raise your hat
- A similar but less complete gesture, often just lifting the hat briefly.
Opposites
Word family
- doff verb
- To remove an item of clothing, especially a hat.
Commonly confused: doff your hat or don?
doff your hat vs don
Don means to put on clothing; doff means to take it off.
Practice
When the funeral procession passed, the men stood and ______.
Choose one answer.
'Doff' means 'take off', so you do not add 'off'. The correct phrase is 'doffed their hats'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “doff your hat”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.