Jack Millett
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Ah, sir – a distinct universe walks about under your hat and under mine. The extended phrase ‘keep it under your hat’, which didn’t arise until the 20th century, simply meant ‘keep it in your head’, that is, ‘think it, but don’t say it’.
To preserve secrecy. This term, with its vivid image of hiding a secret under headgear, dates from the late nineteenth century and has remained current even though hats are worn much less frequently today. A popular song of the 1920s had it: “Keep it under your hat! You must agree to do that.
under (one's) hat. In confidence; as a secret; without being disclosed to others. Keep this under your hat for now, but Greg is definitely the one getting the promotion. As long as it stays under his hat, I don't mind giving John some insider tips.
keep something under one's hat. Fig. to keep something a secret; to keep something in one's mind (only). (If the secret stays under your hat, it stays in your mind. Note the use of but in the examples.) Keep this under your hat, but I'm getting married.
- I take my hat off to … You do not need to be wearing a hat to use this idiom. And if you do wear a hat you do not need to take your hat off to use this idiom.
- Be wearing your [teachers’/lawyers’/doctor’s] hat. You know that I wear different hats. These are real hats. But I also wear hats that are not real. Everyone does.
- Hang up your hat. This idiom is about leaving your job. So when you retire from a job you ‘hang up your hat’. Example: Worker 1: ‘Why did she leave her job?’
- I’ll eat my hat. If you use this phrase you are saying that you will be very surprised if something does (or does not) happen. Example: ‘Do you expect your student to pass his math exam?’
What does the idiom 'Keep It Under Your Hat' mean? With a clear, concise definition and usage examples, discover this idiom's meaning and usage in the English language. Explore with us today!
If you tell someone to keep a piece of information under their hat, you are asking them not to tell anyone else about it. Look, if I tell you something, will you promise to keep it under your hat? He kept it all very much under his hat.
