at the drop of a hat
/ət ðə ˌdrɒp əv ə ˈhæt/NEUTRAL · C1
Meaning
immediately and with very little encouragement
Examples
- 1Mention a weekend away and Leah will pack her bag at the drop of a hat.
- 2Our neighbour will start singing at the drop of a hat; nobody needs to ask twice.
- 3Just mention chess and my brother will fetch the board at the drop of a hat.
- 4With her bag always packed, Nora can leave for a trip at the drop of a hat.
- 5One tiny complaint and he offers a refund at the drop of a hat.
Grammar
A fixed adverbial phrase. Keep at, the articles the and a, and the singular noun hat.
Similar in meaning
More idioms about time
All 20 idioms and the topic quiz →at the eleventh hourat the last possible moment before a deadlinearound the clockcontinuously throughout the day and nightagainst the clockhurrying to finish before a deadlineat the crack of dawnvery early in the morning as daylight beginsin the long runeventually, when considering effects over a lengthy periodfor the time beingtemporarily, until the situation changes
English Idioms400 idioms in 20 topics — with reviews that keep them from fading
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