Do you want to explain that you are good at something that has been around for a while? Maybe you just want to say that you feel someone or something is old-fashioned. If so, the term \u201cold hat\u201d is a great way to get your feelings across in just two words. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression.<\/p>\n
When someone says that something is \u201cold hat\u201d they mean that it is out of date or overly familiar. It can also stand to infer that something has been done so often that it is now familiar or uninteresting. For example, if your parents tell you the story of how they met so often you have it memorized, it is \u201cold-hat\u201d to you now.<\/strong><\/p>\n Anything that is overused or repeated too often can also be considered old-hat. Things that are out of fashion or have simply become staples are also old-hat. The phrase can be used to refer to almost anything in either a positive or negative light. For example, a seasoned detective is considered an \u201cold hat\u201d at the investigation game. Or, someone may repeat the same outfit so often that it is now an expected old-hat behavior from them.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen it comes to writing about fictional horror, Steven King is an old-hat at the genre\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cDealing with constant disappointment makes coping with setbacks feel old-hat regardless of their severity\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cGetting everything you desire may seem old-hat to you, but for most people, settling for what is available has become the norm\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cRiling up the opposition party is old-hat to those in power now, it\u2019s no longer even a challenge in the current political climate\u201d.<\/p>\n Old-hat was a popular term used in the 1700s which was used as a euphemism for a woman\u2019s nether regions. It was mainly used by the younger crowd at the time, or by men in conversation when referring to a woman\u2019s body. It was first seen in The Intrigues at Versailles which was in print, and very popular during the time. Over time, the phrase lost favor and fell out of use.<\/p>\n The term old hat was first seen in the early parts of the 1900s with the meaning of being old or old-fashioned. During the time, men were known to wear felt hats which often took on the look of a beaten piece of fabric. This was mainly due to the repeated use and the penchant for felt hats to look weathered rather quickly.<\/p>\n Specifically, in 1911, Sir Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch, who was a Cornish writer, use the phrase \u201cold-hat\u201d in his novel. The book Brother Copas is the title in which he used the phrase specifically speaking about actually worn-out old hats. The phrase transformed into a common usage form of saying old-fashioned somewhere in the late 1920s\u2019 to early 1930s.<\/p>\nExample Usage<\/h2>\n
Origin<\/h2>\n