1892. Milliken, ’Arry Ballads, p. 38. If some of the swells didn’t ditto, I’ll eat my old hat, which it’s tough.
To get a hat, verb. phr. (cricketers’).—See Hat-trick. [[278]]
To get into the hat, verb. phr. (common).—To get into trouble.
To have a brick in one’s hat, verb. phr. (American).—To be top-heavy with drink. For synonyms, see Drinks and Screwed.
To hang up one’s hat.—See Hang.
To pass (or send) round the hat, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To make a collection.
To talk through one’s hat, verb. phr. (American).—To rag; to huff; to bluster.
1888. New York World, 13 May. Dis is only a bluff dey’re makin’—see! Dey’re talkin’ tru deir hats.
All round my hat, phr. (streets).—A derisive retort. [From a Broadside Ballad, popular c. 1830: ‘All round my hat I wears a green willow, All round my hat for a twelvemonth and a day, And if any one should ask you the reason why I wear it, Tell them my true love is gone far away’; sung to a tune adapted from a number in Zampa.] Also, as in quot. = all over; completely; generally.
1892. Milliken, ’Arry Ballads, p. 54. I’m a ’ot un, mate, all round my ’at.