hats off to

hats off to idiom
Congratulations to, as in Hats off to Claire! She's set a new record for the mile. This expression alludes to taking off one's hat as a sign of respect. [Mid-1800s]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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