hang one's hat

hang one's hat

English

Pronunciation

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Verb

hang one's hat (third-person singular simple present hangs one's hat, present participle hanging one's hat, simple past and past participle hung one's hat)

1. (chiefly US, idiomatic) To reside; to call a place home.
   • 1987 April, Sanger and Linda Shafer (authors), George Strait (singer), “All My Ex’s Live in Texas”, MCA Records:

     But all my ex’s live in Texas

     And that’s why I hang my hat in Tennessee

   • 2003, Jake Logan, chapter 10, in Slocum and the Undertakers, →ISBN:

     “Where does Hobart hang his hat?” Slocum asked.
     “His spread's up north, east of the Chugwater, and maybe north some.”

2. (by extension) To identify with; to be.
   • 2009, Michael Marshall, Bad Things, →ISBN, page 252:

     I try not to make simplistic judgements on people these days. Especially over matters as trivial as where they hang their sexual hat.

See also

• home is where you hang your hat
• hang one's hat on