The expression “to give someone the high hat” is a colorful idiom from early 20th-century American slang. It essentially means to snub, ignore, or treat someone in a condescending or dismissive manner, especially in a socially superior or arrogant way.
Origins and Imagery
The phrase draws on the imagery of the top hat, often referred to as a “high hat.” In the early 1900s, the top hat was associated with the wealthy elite — men of status and dignity. Wearing a high hat symbolized a sense of superiority, refinement, and distance from the common folk. As a result, “giving someone the high hat” came to mean treating someone as beneath you, as if you’re so important you can’t be bothered to acknowledge them properly.
The phrase gained traction in the jazz age and early Hollywood era, when snubbing or ignoring someone, especially in artistic or social circles, was seen as a sign of arrogance or elitism.
Meaning and Use
To give someone the high hat is:
- To ignore or slight someone on purpose
- To treat someone in a snobbish or arrogant way
- To act as if you are too good to associate with them
This can happen in many contexts — at a party, in a business meeting, or even in personal relationships. It often suggests social rejection or moral superiority.
Examples in Sentences
- Social Setting:
- “After he landed that record deal, he started giving his old friends the high hat — wouldn’t even say hello at the club.”
- (He began ignoring or snubbing his old friends after becoming more successful.)
- Workplace:
- “She gave me the high hat at the meeting — acted like my input didn’t even matter.”
- (She treated me as if I wasn’t worth listening to.)
- Romantic Context:
- “Ever since she started dating that rich guy, she’s been high-hatting everyone from her old crowd.”
- (She’s now looking down on her former friends.)
- Entertainment Industry:
- “Back in the day, Hollywood was full of actors who’d high-hat the writers — until they needed a script rewrite.”
- (Actors treated writers as inferior until they needed their help.)
Variants and Related Phrases
- “To high-hat someone” is a more direct verbal version of the expression.
- Example: “Don’t high-hat me just because you got promoted.”
- “To give someone the cold shoulder” is a similar expression, although it tends to be more about emotional coldness than social superiority.
- “To look down your nose at someone” conveys a similar meaning — treating others with disdain or arrogance.
Cultural Significance
The phrase reflects the class-consciousness and status dynamics of its time. During the 1920s and 1930s, American society was obsessed with fame, money, and appearances. Jazz musicians, actors, and socialites used this phrase to describe the subtle (or not-so-subtle) social politics of being in or out of favor.
It also found its way into early blues and jazz lyrics. For instance, some early jazz songs use the term “high-hat” as both a noun and a verb to describe someone who’s acting “too good” for others.
Decline in Modern Use
While the phrase is less common in everyday conversation today, it still appears in films, books, and period dramas that are set in the early 20th century. Modern English speakers might not use “give someone the high hat” regularly, but they might say:
- “He ghosted me.”
- “She’s acting all high and mighty.”
- “He thinks he’s too good for us now.”
Each of these modern phrases captures part of what “giving someone the high hat” originally meant.
Conclusion
“To give someone the high hat” is a vivid expression with historical roots in social elitism and snobbery. It means to snub someone or act as if you’re above them — often out of arrogance or a newly acquired sense of importance. While it may sound old-fashioned today, the underlying concept is timeless: the tension between humility and pride, between loyalty and ambition.
So, the next time someone rises to power and suddenly forgets the people who helped them get there, you might say — with a vintage flair — “Looks like they’re giving everyone the high hat now.”
