Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

pick out of a hat

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.42 in modern English

Syllables
pick- out of a hat
IPA
27
Scrabble Score
13
Letters
2
Syllables
10
Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To determine by chance, especially by drawing lots.

verb

To substitute a guess for unavailable data.

Example Sentences

Etymology

Referring to the impromptu use of one's hat as a receptacle for drawing paper lots from.

Inflected Forms

picks out of a hat (present, singular) picking out of a hat (participle, present) picked out of a hat (participle, past) picked out of a hat (past) pick from a hat (alternative)

Synonyms

draw lots pluck from thin air

Questions

What does pick out of a hat mean?
To determine by chance, especially by drawing lots.
Where does pick out of a hat come from?
Referring to the impromptu use of one's hat as a receptacle for drawing paper lots from.

How to pronounce pick out of a hat

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “pick out of a hat”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “pick out of a hat”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “pick out of a hat” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.