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You are here: Home / Language / What Does “Talking Through Your Hat” Mean and Where Did the Phrase For Lying Come From?

What Does “Talking Through Your Hat” Mean and Where Did the Phrase For Lying Come From?

May 29, 2020 by Karen Hill

Saying something without conviction might be called a lie, or you could be accused of “talking through your hat.”

Around 1850, an Englishman refused to kneel before sitting in a church pew, a serious breach of religious etiquette.

Instead, he whispered a prayer while covering his mouth with his hat before sitting down.

This shocked the other worshippers, and although many copied him, “Talking through your hat” took on the meaning of false and irreverent.

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Filed Under: Language

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

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