# at the drop of a hat

Pronunciation: say "uht thuh drop uv uh HAT" US /ət ðə ˌdɹɑp əv ə ˈhæt/, UK /ət ðə ˌdɹɒp əv ə ˈhæt/

## Idiom

1. Without any hesitation or delay; instantly. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: Very quickly, without waiting or stopping to think first.
   - _He's the kind of friend who would drive across the state at the drop of a hat._
   - _The new manager was known for reversing company policy at the drop of a hat._

## Origin

The phrase comes from the customary way of starting competitions, where someone would signal the start by making a sweeping downward motion with a cap or hat.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/at-the-drop-of-a-hat (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).