Definition of at the drop of a hat

at the drop of a hat

adverb

• at any moment; without persuasion

  He gets mad at the drop of a hat.

  He used to be an actor. He tells stories of the old days at the drop of a hat to anyone who'll listen.

  Last edited on Aug 21 2012. Submitted by Walter Rader (Editor) from Sacramento, CA, USA on Aug 11 2009.

• very promptly.

  She still loves him, you know. Even now, if he needs anything she's there at the drop of a hat.

  My cat will come at the drop of a hat when I call her to sit on my lap.

  • See more words with the same meaning: fast, quick, quickly.

  Last edited on Apr 19 2013. Submitted by helenwest1 from Pimlico, City of Westminster, London SW1V, UK on Jul 21 2012.

+	Add a definition for this slang term

Share Tweet E-mail	More info:	Interactive stats:
	R  Related words	Usage Vulgarity SlangMap

Related words

Slang terms with the same meaning

Other terms relating to 'fast, quick, quickly':
fly	Definitions include: very good, excellent; "cool"; "awesome".
double-time it	Definitions include: to do something quickly.
zippy	Definitions include: fast.
performant	Definitions include: high-performing.
smoke	Definitions include: to kill, usually with a firearm.
haul *ss	Definitions include: to move quickly.
jet	Definitions include: to leave.
nippy	Definitions include: fast.
quick	Definitions include: "quickly".
like sh*t through a tin horn	Definitions include: quickly.
book it	Definitions include: to move very fast.
on the dub	Definitions include: quickly.
in a New York minute	Definitions include: quickly.
automagically	Definitions include: to happen automatically, in a way that appears almost magical.
ASAP	Definitions include: acronym for "as soon as possible".
(show 13 more)

Slang terms with the same root words

Other terms relating to 'a':
a	Definitions include: amphetamine.
A-1	Definitions include: the best.
a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.	Definitions include: something you have now is worth more than two things you have just a chance of getting.
a bit much	Definitions include: excessive.
a bit of how's your father	Definitions include: sexual activity.
a boat	Definitions include: In the West/Central Canadian accent, "about" is pronounced somewhere between "aboot" and "a boat".
a couple beers short of a six-pack	Definitions include: a little crazy
a couple three	Definitions include: an unspecified small number.
act a fool	Definitions include: to play around.
a dime a dozen	Definitions include: very common.
a dog with two d*cks	Definitions include: a mythical creature who is extremely happy or fortunate.
a dollar three eighty	Definitions include: a non-specified price.
a dollar three eightyfive	Definitions include: a non-specified price.
adopt a tree	Definitions include: to collide with a tree.
a face that only a mother could love	Definitions include: an ugly face.
(show 767 morehide)
Other terms relating to 'at':
aim Archie at the adamant	Definitions include: of a male, to urinate.
atcha	Definitions include: "at your".
at loggerheads with	Definitions include: in disagreement with.
ATM	Definitions include: acronym for "ass-to-mouth", i.e. a sex act in which anal sex is immediately followed by fellatio or cunnilingus.
at (one's) wit's end	Definitions include: extremely aggravated.
at scale	Definitions include: with heavy usage.
at the end of (one's) rope	Definitions include: unable to tolerate any more.
back at the ranch	Definitions include: exclamation useful when the conversation is going off tangent.
back at you	Definitions include: and the same to you.
bark at the ants	Definitions include: to vomit outdoors.
check at the door	Definitions include: to get rid of before entering a venue.
chomp at the bit	Definitions include: to be eager.
clock in at	Definitions include: to measure.
come at	Definitions include: to be aggressive towards.
DATY	Definitions include: acronym for "dine at the Y", i.e. to perform cunnilingus.
(show 42 morehide)
Other terms relating to 'drop':
DDG	Definitions include: acronym for "drop dead gorgeous".
DOL	Definitions include: acronym for "drop out loser".
don't drop the soap dawg	Definitions include: to be anally raped in jail.
drop	Definitions include: to take drugs, usually LSD ("acid") or Ecstasy (MDMA).
drop a beat	Definitions include: in music, to play a beat.
drop a bomb	Definitions include: to defecate; "poop".
drop a C-bomb	Definitions include: See C-bomb.
drop a chalupa	Definitions include: have a bowel movement.
drop a coil	Definitions include: to defecate. usually used in a mock-sensuous way or in a lighthearted manner.
drop a deuce	Definitions include: to defecate; "poop".
drop a dime	Definitions include: to inform the authorities (e.g. police) that someone was involved in a crime.
drop a dookie	Definitions include: to defecate; "poop".
drop a duce	Definitions include: misspelling of drop a deuce.
drop a fat lip	Definitions include: to place a large amount of dip (chewing tobacco) between one's cheek and jaw.
drop a hiroshima	Definitions include: a huge fart.
(show 39 morehide)
Other terms relating to 'hat':
*ss hat	Definitions include: someone who thinks they know what they're talking about but makes no logical sense
black hat	Definitions include: person who engages in computer security breaching for malicious purposes.
grab a hat	Definitions include: To leave somewhere, preferably quickly.
happy hat	Definitions include: a condom.
hat	Definitions include: hair or hair style.
hat hair	Definitions include: hair that has been put awry by wearing a hat.
hat tip	Definitions include: thanks.
hat up	Definitions include: to move quickly.
H/T	Definitions include: "hat tip".
jimmy hat	Definitions include: condom.
mad as a hatter	Definitions include: crazy.
mad hatter	Definitions include: someone who sells drugs and other illegal substances.
old hat	Definitions include: familiar to the point of being boring.
party hat	Definitions include: condom.
party hats	Definitions include: when a person's nipples stand out on end due to cold temperature or stimulation.
(show 5 morehide)
Other terms relating to 'of':
abbreviated piece of nothing	Definitions include: a worthless person.
a bit of how's your father	Definitions include: sexual activity.
about the size of it	Definitions include: a good estimate.
a couple beers short of a six-pack	Definitions include: a little crazy
a few cans short of a six pack	Definitions include: of lower than average intelligence.
a few fries short of a happy meal	Definitions include: "not all there".
afraid of (one's) shadow	Definitions include: skittish.
a grain of *ssault	Definitions include: an amount of violence.
ahead of the curve	Definitions include: having an opinion or belief prior to it becoming common or popular.
a hell of a	Definitions include: an impressive.
a hell of an	Definitions include: an impressive.
all kinds of	Definitions include: many.
all of my yes	Definitions include: an emphatic "yes".
all that and a bag of chips	Definitions include: better than all that.
all that and a bag of Fritos	Definitions include: the best.
(show 346 morehide)
Other terms relating to 'the':
101 scoop, the	Definitions include: the real information or the proof, instruction, the know how, where, when, and why about something or someone.
2-10, the	Definitions include: walking, generally as opposed to driving.
3rd degree, the	Definitions include: interrogation.
3 sheets to the wind	Definitions include: extremely intoxicated
411, the	Definitions include: information.
a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.	Definitions include: something you have now is worth more than two things you have just a chance of getting.
about the size of it	Definitions include: a good estimate.
ace in the hole	Definitions include: a secret advantage.
across the board	Definitions include: inclusive.
add fuel to the fire	Definitions include: to make a bad situation worse.
against the clock	Definitions include: with the amount of time left to finish a task rapidly disappearing.
ahead of the curve	Definitions include: having an opinion or belief prior to it becoming common or popular.
aim Archie at the adamant	Definitions include: of a male, to urinate.
ain't no fun when the rabbit got the gun	Definitions include: Someone being butthurt over having something, they do to others regularly, done to the them
a little on the side	Definitions include: secret sexual activity with a person other than one's partner.
(show 1409 morehide)

How common is this slang?

Don't click the following.
I use it	(8)
No longer use it	(2)
Heard it but never used it	(8)
Have never heard it	(2)

How vulgar is this slang?

Average of 13 votes: 20%  (See the most vulgar words.)

Least vulgar

Most vulgar

Your vote: None   (To vote, click the pepper. Vote how vulgar the word is – not how mean it is.)

Least vulgar

Most vulgar

Where is this slang used?

Logged-in users can add themselves to the map. Login, Register, Login instantly with Facebook.

Link to this slang definition

To link to this term in a web page or blog, insert the following.

<a href="http://onlineslangdictionary.com/meaning-definition-of/at-the-drop-of-a-hat">at the drop of a hat</a>

To link to this term in a wiki such as Wikipedia, insert the following.

[http://onlineslangdictionary.com/meaning-definition-of/at-the-drop-of-a-hat at the drop of a hat]

Some wikis use a different format for links, so be sure to check the documentation.