Throwing Your Hat In The Ring Phrase

Synonyms and related words.

Throwing your hat in the ring phrase. Throw ones hat in to the ring To announce that one is going to be competing with others especially in a political election. To throw your hat in the ring is an Americanism dating back to the early 19th century meaning to enter a contest especially to declare your candidacy for political office. Your hat into the ring.

That the phrase throw ones hat in the ring comes from a practice of 19th Century saloon keepers putting a boxing ring in the middle of the barroom so that customers who wanted to fight each other would have a place to do so without starting a donnybrook. After Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected governor of California it seemed like all sorts of celebrities tried tossing their hats in the ring. To enter a contest.

Posted by Ward Fredericks on December 29 2003. Throw in his hat and with a spring get gallantly within the ring This is from 1820 and is the first recorded use of the term. Announce ones candidacy or enter a contest as in The governor was slow to throw his hat in the ring in the senatorial race.

Today the idiom nearly always refers to political candidacy. This expression comes from the sport of boxing. Toss ones hat in to the ring.

As the dictionary defines its meaning as. Throw Your Hat into the Ring. In the past if a person wanted to fight he could throw his hat into the boxing ring.

This term comes from boxing where throwing a hat in the ring formerly indicated a challenge. In United States during the 19th century men throwing hats into the ring was a way to challenge for a prizefight. Announce inform declare issue bring forward proclaim pronounce notify address render.