to doff a hat

8.8

Take off your hat to show respect or greet someone

phrasal verb

: quitarse el sombrero

It was customary to doff a hat upon entering the church.

Examples

She smiled when the gentleman politely doffed his hat to greet her.
He always doffs a hat when entering a church.
As the procession passed, he doffed his hat in a show of respect.
Please doff a hat when you meet the queen!
As the procession passed, he doffed his hat in a show of respect.
It was customary to doff a hat upon entering the church.
She smiled when the gentleman politely doffed his hat to greet her.

Synonyms

to take my hat off to

vsto doff a hat

Informal

5 6.6

To show respect and praise for someone and their achievements

is expressed by physically removing an item from the head as a greeting

to doff

vsto doff a hat

3 9.9

To take off a hat or other piece of clothing

is the same physical action used specifically to show respect or greet

to take your hat off

vsto doff a hat

5.9

To admire and respect someone for what they have done

is shown by physically removing an item from the head as a respectful greeting

How Respectful

to salute

Formal

106 3.5

to bow

132 1.7

to doff a hat

8.8

tip of the hat

2 6.9

to nod

442 1.0

Surface Forms

doff a hat infinitive

doffed a hat past

doffed a hat past participle

doffing a hat present participle

doffs a hat third person singular

Morphology

doff + a + hat

The meaning 'to remove one's hat as a gesture' is directly and predictably composed from 'doff' (to take off) + 'a' + 'hat' — a simple verb + object construction. Although 'doff' is low-frequency/archaic, if a learner knows its meaning the phrase is fully compositional and therefore transparent.

Etymology

Doff a hat comes from the old custom of doffing a hat by taking it off to show respect. Removing the hat showed your face and that your hands were empty, so the gesture became a way to say 'to show respect' or 'greet' someone politely.