Can a woman say to her man that "my hats off to a wonderful man"?
H holbrookmotel New member Joined Mar 8, 2011 Member Type Student or Learner Native Language Chinese Home Country Chile Current Location Chile Mar 29, 2011 #1 Can a woman say to her man that "my hats off to a wonderful man"?
R Rover_KE Moderator Staff member Joined Jun 20, 2010 Member Type Retired English Teacher Native Language British English Home Country England Current Location England Mar 29, 2011 #2 Welcome to the board, holbrookmotel. It's usually a man who raises his hat in appreciation or respect. A woman can say it, but in my experience she never would. Rover
Welcome to the board, holbrookmotel. It's usually a man who raises his hat in appreciation or respect. A woman can say it, but in my experience she never would. Rover
freezeframe Key Member Joined Mar 28, 2011 Member Type Academic Native Language English Home Country Canada Current Location Canada Mar 29, 2011 #3 Rover_KE said: Welcome to the board, holbrookmotel. It's usually a man who raises his hat in appreciation or respect. A woman can say it, but in my experience she never would. Rover Click to expand... Here in Canada, I would and do say it. While I'm aware of the origin of the phrase, I use it purely figuratively.
Rover_KE said: Welcome to the board, holbrookmotel. It's usually a man who raises his hat in appreciation or respect. A woman can say it, but in my experience she never would. Rover Click to expand... Here in Canada, I would and do say it. While I'm aware of the origin of the phrase, I use it purely figuratively.
Barb_D Moderator Staff member Joined Mar 12, 2007 Member Type Other Native Language American English Home Country United States Current Location United States Mar 29, 2011 #4 I believe I usually just hear "Hats off..." but if the sentence were "My hats off" it should be with an apostrophe s -- My hat is off, My hat's off, not *My hats off.
I believe I usually just hear "Hats off..." but if the sentence were "My hats off" it should be with an apostrophe s -- My hat is off, My hat's off, not *My hats off.
freezeframe Key Member Joined Mar 28, 2011 Member Type Academic Native Language English Home Country Canada Current Location Canada Mar 29, 2011 #5 The actual idiom is "hats off" = hat in plural.