pick out of a hat

English

Alternative forms

• pick from a hat

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

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Verb

pick out of a hat (third-person singular simple present picks out of a hat, present participle picking out of a hat, simple past and past participle picked out of a hat)

1. To determine by chance, especially by drawing lots.

   Synonym: draw lots

2. To substitute a guess for unavailable data.

   Synonym: pluck from thin air

   That number was just picked out of a hat.