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Glite Dictionary
to throw one's hat in the ring

to throw one's hat in the ring

5 7.4
To say you will run for a position, for example in an election
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : presentar candidatura
  • The coach encouraged his players to throw their hats in the ring for the team captain position.

Examples

  • Have you considered throwing your hat in the ring for the presidency?

    Blog text (23)

  • Have you considered throwing Mission Viejo's hat in the ring for the 2022 Olympics?

    Blog text (18)

  • How about you throw your hat in the ring?

    Pride and Glory (2008)

  • I'd like to throw my hat in the ring.

    Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017)

  • Well, if no one else feels strongly about it, I'd like to throw my hat in the ring.

    Runaway Jury (2003)

  • He may throw his hat in the ring soon.

    Blog text (8)

  • It seems Boston has thrown its hat in the ring with several other teams interested.

    Blog text (15)

  • Along the way, Lindsay Shanahan, my predecessor at Serious Good, decided to focus on completing her education, and I threw my hat in the ring to be considered for the position.

    Blog text (20)

  • After much consideration, I have decided to throw my hat in the ring for the upcoming election.

  • If you're passionate about this cause, you should throw your hat in the ring and run for office.

Synonyms

to enter
vsto throw one's hat in the ring
535 1.1

To register to take part in a competition or event

announces intention to join a contest rather than simply starting involvement
to enter the competition
vsto throw one's hat in the ring
3 2.8

To sign up to take part in a contest

announces intention to join rather than already being registered
to pick up the gauntlet
vsto throw one's hat in the ring
  • Informal
1 8.6

To accept a challenge and try to meet it

announces intention to join a contest rather than answering a personal dare
to put one's name in the hat
vsto throw one's hat in the ring
  • Informal
1 6.5

To say you want to be chosen for a job or position

announces intention publicly rather than finishing an official registration
to enter the lists
vsto throw one's hat in the ring
  • Archaic
9.3

To join a competition that already has other people competing to try to win

announces intention publicly instead of only deciding privately to compete

Antonyms

to pull out of
79 3.2

Leave an activity or agreement you had joined

How Official

to run
  • US
∞ 3.0
to throw one's hat in the ring
  • Informal
5 7.4
to participate
866 2.5

Surface Forms

throw one's hat in the ring infinitive
throwing one's hat in the ring present participle
throws one's hat in the ring third person singular
threw one's hat in the ring past
thrown one's hat in the ring past participle

Morphology

throw + one + hat + in + the + ring

The image of literally throwing a hat into a ring evokes entering a contest, so the constituent meanings (throw + hat + in + ring) give a plausible hint of ‘entering a competition.’ However, understanding the idiomatic nuance requires cultural/pragmatic knowledge of the ritual (e.g., boxing or public nomination) that many B1 learners lack, so the relation is only partially predictable.

Etymology

Throw one's hat in the ring comes from old boxing shows where someone would literally throw a hat into the fighting ring to show they wanted to take part. That clear picture of putting your hat into the ring is why the phrase now means 'to announce you will enter a contest'.