hat in the ring
Announced one's candidacy
To throw or toss one's hat in the ring is to announce oneself as a candidate or competitor for something, especially a political office or contested position.
The expression comes from boxing, where throwing a hat into the ring signaled a challenge or willingness to fight.
Three senators have already thrown their hats in the ring for the presidential nomination.
The phrase nearly always appears with throw or toss, and the hat is usually possessive.
- nominationFormal candidate selection
- contestOrganized competitive event
- throwing downCasting forcefully downward
- gestureCommunicative body movement
- declarationFormal public announcement
running for office · choice · campaign · campaign trail · stump speech · rivalry · announcement · challenge · primary season · proclamation · commitment · pledge · platform · offering · submission · election · contender · candidacy
hat in the ringwithdrawal
Act of taking away
dropping out · bowing out · stepping aside · opting out · abstention
hat in the ringfence-sitting
Refusing to take sides
hedging one's bets · keeping options open · cold feet · backing down · reluctance
hat in the ringthrowing in the towel
Accepting defeat, stopping effort
concession · surrender · capitulation · giving up · backing down
hatted, hatting, hatter, ring, rings, ringed, ringing, ringer, ringers