- pick out of a hat
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a) To determine by chance.
That number was just picked out of a hat.
b) To substitute a guess for unavailable data.
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pick out of a hat
Look at other dictionaries:
pick out of a hat — ► pick out of a hat select at random. Main Entry: ↑hat … English terms dictionary
pick someone's name out of a hat — pick/draw/someone’s name out of a hat phrase to choose someone as the winner of a competition in which everyone has an equal chance of winning, often by taking a name written on a piece of paper out of a container Thesaurus: to gamble… … Useful english dictionary
draw someone's name out of a hat — pick/draw/someone’s name out of a hat phrase to choose someone as the winner of a competition in which everyone has an equal chance of winning, often by taking a name written on a piece of paper out of a container Thesaurus: to gamble… … Useful english dictionary
pick something out of a hat — select something at random. → hat … English new terms dictionary
hat — ► NOUN ▪ a shaped covering for the head, typically with a brim and a crown. ● keep something under one s hat Cf. ↑keep something under one s hat ● pass the hat round (or N. Amer. pass the hat) Cf. ↑pass the hat round ● … English terms dictionary
pick something out of a hat — select something, esp. the winner of a contest, at random … Useful english dictionary
hat — [ hæt ] noun count *** 1. ) a piece of clothing that you wear on your head: She was wearing a brown fur hat. 2. ) INFORMAL one particular aspect of someone s duties or responsibilities: She has to wear several different hats (=have various… … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
pick — 1. v. & n. v.tr. 1 (also absol.) choose carefully from a number of alternatives (picked the pink one; picked a team; picked the right moment to intervene). 2 detach or pluck (a flower, fruit, etc.) from a stem, tree, etc. 3 a probe (the teeth,… … Useful english dictionary
pick — {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} noun VERB + PICK ▪ have ▪ She had her pick of the single men. ▪ take ▪ Which do you want? Take your pick. PHRASES ▪ … Collocations dictionary
hat */*/*/ — UK [hæt] / US noun [countable] Word forms hat : singular hat plural hats 1) a piece of clothing that you wear on your head She was wearing a brown fur hat. 2) informal one particular aspect of someone s duties or responsibilities She has to wear… … English dictionary
