Q&A: ‘At the drop of a hat’ and ‘off the cuff’

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, hats, cuffs and spurs..

Q: Hi AWC, where did “at the drop of a hat” come from?

A: Ah yes, the phrase that means “instantly”.

Q: That’s the one. I mean, a hat will instantly fall if you drop it, but then again, so will a watermelon.

A: And make a lot more mess.

Q: So why a hat?

A: It’s a good question, and the Online Etymology Dictionary says it was first recorded in 1854, a period of time when hats were commonplace.

Q: Sure, but so were lots of things.

A: Like watermelons?

Q: Yeah, Victorian-era watermelons. 

A: You might hear it used in “Begin at the drop of a hat” – and that is a big clue to where the phrase comes from. Back then, it was common to begin a race or fight by someone dropping a hat or holding it and sweeping your arm down. We’d later see a similar action with a flag or scarf in car races – like this scene from the movie Grease.

Q: Oh, I love that movie! Although I think Mamma Mia captured the Greek scenery better.

A: No, that’s– never mind… 

Q: Okay, so while we’re talking about clothing items and doing things quickly, what about “off the cuff”? Where does THAT come from?

A: Another fun one. The Macquarie Dictionary defines someone who does something “off the cuff” as doing it in an unrehearsed or impromptu way.

Q: So, extemporaneously?

A: Oh, well, yes. Anyway, it seems to have entered English dictionaries in the 1830s and came from the practice of speakers or actors writing notes on the stiff starched cuffs of their shirts.

Q: Like cue cards!

A: Exactly, so they could remember their lines, as it were.

Q: How interesting – so the origin of a phrase that is usually thought today to be saying something unrehearsed or planned came from quite the opposite – hidden notes scribbled on your shirt!

A: Exactly!

Q: Makes me wish I’d completed all my school exams “off the cuff”.

A: Haha. In this famous scene from Modern Times, Charlie Chaplin has the words to a song written on a detachable cuff, but loses it so has to sing gibberish instead!

Q: So he really did have to come up with something “off the cuff” after his off-the-cuff remarks disappeared!

A: He did! And fun fact, that song was the first time most of the world ever heard what the silent film star sounded like. He was actually British, but preferred American audiences to think he was one of them!

Q: Fascinating! So today’s chat has been all about doing things on the “spur of the moment”, right?

A: Okay, we know where this is going…

Q: Exactly. What IS the “spur” in said moment? Please tell me it's a cowboy spur!

A: Well, a horse-rider’s spur, yes. The original, now-defunct phrase from the 1500s was “on the spur” – meaning “in great haste”. It came from digging the spurs on boots into the horse’s flanks to make it go faster. The modern phrase came later – in 1782.

Q: Giddy-up!

A: Well, THAT exact phrase dates back to 1909, but existed in the horsey world as “giddap” in the mid 1800s and “gee-up” as early as the 1600s.

Q: So, to recap, people say “at the drop of a hat” because in the mid-1800s it was the nearest thing handy to start a fight, race or Victorian watermelon eating contest.

A: Haha, sure.

Q: And to do something “off the cuff” also comes from the mid-1800s and was all about pretending to be doing something unrehearsed, but having a cheat sheet on your clothing. What’s more, hilariously, these days it’s all about NOT having any notes.

A: That’s modern times for ya!

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