ten-gallon hat
1
5.8
- noun
- /ˈtɛnˌɡælən hæt/
- US
:
sombrero de diez galones
- What drove you to lace up the boots or dust off the ten-gallon hat?
- wears a ten-gallon hat
- a ten-gallon hat and boots
- a big ten-gallon hat
Examples
-
I was a cowboy with a ten-gallon hat, big boots, and a bandanna.
Fiction book (2002) -
He is presently handing keys to a large "good old boy"—boots, ten-gallon hat and all.
Fiction book (1990) -
Big Ed, in his signature ten-gallon hat, sees Jack from behind the counter ...
Fiction book (2000) -
Reckon we're all going to be wearing ten-gallon hats.
Fiction book (1998) -
I wore it for snapshots, along with a ten-gallon hat.
Fiction book (1996) -
Big Ed is wearing a ten-gallon hat and a suede overcoat.
Fiction book (2000) -
As Mussburger introduces him to a tall, imposing businessman in a tuxedo and a ten-gallon hat.
Fiction book (1994) -
Red, roguishly handsome in his tan, western-cut blazer, clip-on tie, and ten-gallon hat, makes his way to the door.
Fiction book (1993) -
Their uniforms made them look bigger: ten-gallon hats, gold badges on their hats and shirts, special black plastic nametags on the pocket flap, white letters.
Fiction book (1998) -
The cowboy tipped his ten-gallon hat to greet everyone passing by.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
A shaped covering for the head with a brim worn for warmth, protection, or style
30
1.7
A hat with a wide brim and a tall top often worn by cowboys
9
5.4
A wide-brimmed hat with a high creased crown often worn by cowboys
Surface Forms
Morphology
ten-gallon + hat
Although a learner who knows 'ten', 'gallon' and 'hat' can infer that the item is a large hat, the expression does not literally mean a hat that holds ten gallons and refers to a conventional, culturally specific cowboy style. The size cue gives partial predictability but the conventional name and cultural/style details are not derivable from the parts, so it is only partially transparent.
Etymology
The noun ten-gallon hat may come from an old joke that the very large hat could hold ten gallons of water, which gives a clear picture of how big it looked. That's why the name came to mean the wide, high-crowned hat worn by cowboys and ranchers.