cap in hand
- idiom
- UK
:
con humildad
- Who will you go to then, with your cap in hand and that beaten dog expression?
Examples
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The reality is that the day after no deal we will be forced to go cap in hand to the EU for a trade deal.
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So, we've gone cap in hand to the French for theirs.
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After losing his job, he approached his former employer cap in hand, hoping for any chance of reemployment.
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She felt embarrassed to ask for favors, but she knew she had to go cap in hand to her parents for help.
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The team leaders came cap in hand to the board, seeking funding to continue their important project.
Synonyms
3
7.2
In a humble and respectful way when you ask for something or admit a mistake
How Humble
Surface Forms
Morphology
The sense 'in a humble or submissive manner' is not directly derivable from the literal words 'cap' + 'in' + 'hand' without knowledge of the cultural gesture of holding or removing one's cap as a sign of deference. This is a culturally specific idiom whose pragmatic meaning is idiomatic and unpredictable for an average B1 learner who only knows the constituent word meanings.
Etymology
Cap in hand comes from the simple image of someone holding their cap in their hand to show respect or to beg. That's why it means 'to ask for help or forgiveness in a humble or submissive way'.