At the drop of a hat
Nowadays, we see some people wearing woolly hats during a bitterly cold winter or sun hats on a scorching summer day. Hats were once important everyday outfits, particularly in the Western countries. Thus, the fashion of the hat gave rise to the idiom " at the drop of a hat " .
Why is the hat dropped? Is the hat blown off by a strong wind or is it knocked off by someone else? The idiom may have come from the Wild West in the USA during the 19th century. The Wild West was a dangerous place of lawlessness. Conflicts over the control of lands often occurred among cowboys, native Indians, outlaws and pioneers. People used guns to settle their disputes. To signal the beginning of a fight, a man grabbed his hat and thrust it downward.
To do something " at the drop of a hat " means to do it immediately and without stopping to think about what you are going to do.
Hollywood has produced a lot of famous Western films. Common plots include ranchers protecting their families from large landowners, and conflicts over water resources.
今時今日，我們看見有些人在嚴寒的冬天戴羊毛帽，或在炎熱的夏日戴太陽帽。帽子曾經是重要的日常服裝，尤其是在西方國家。因此，帽子的潮流產生了「at the drop of a hat」這個習語。
為甚麼帽子跌下來？帽子被強風吹走，還是帽子被人碰倒？這個習語可能來自19世紀期間美國的蠻荒西部。那裡是危險的地方、無法無天。為了控制土地而產生的衝突，經常在牛仔、原住民印第安人、不法之徒和拓荒者當中發生。人們用槍解決爭端。為了示意搏鬥開始，一個男子抓住自己的帽子，然後猛地向地上一扔。
To do something「at the drop of a hat」的意思是馬上做，而且不會停下來思索你將會做甚麼。
美國荷里活製作了許多著名的西部電影。常見的情節包括牧場主人守護家庭免受大地主的欺凌，以及因水源而發生衝突。
