A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

hang one’s hat • hang up one’s hat
hang one’s hat—
1
. settle oneself; take up residence: She’s
looking for somewhere to hang her hat, now that her twenty-
year marriage has ended. 2. (on) depend upon smb.; rely on
a person: Why that’s my preacher. I hang my hat on him every
time.
hang up one’s hat—
1
. retire from a position or a job: Police
chief Ron Johnson hung up his hat today after forty years of
service. 2. (coll.) die: Old Johnson finally hung up his hat.
He’s been sick for a while though.
hang someone out to dry • leave someone hanging
hang someone out to dry —(coll.) not support or help smb.;
abandon a person when he is in trouble: I made a mistake
– 159 –
hang someone out to dry

---

that made a customer very angry and my boss really hung me
out to dry!
leave someone hanging —(coll.) keep smb. waiting for a deci-
sion or answer: When Amal had to leave for work, he left his
exciting story unfinished. We were frustrated that he left us
hanging.
hang up one’s fiddle • hang up one’s fiddle at the
door
hang up one’s fiddle —(dated) retire from business; give up
an undertaking: I could see plain enough that it was time for
me to hang up my fiddle.
hang up one’s fiddle at the door —(UK dated) cease to be
cheerful when in the company of one’s family: Jim is a happy
man when he is with the boys, but he hangs the fiddle at the
door when he gets home.
happy day • happy days
happy day —the day of marriage ceremony: “When’s the
happy day?” Cubitt said and they all smiled.
happy days —is used as a toast: “Happy days!” cried Mobbs.
“Cheers!” said the Major gloomily.
Note: 
The expression does not correlate in meaning with the
phrase heavenly days—(exclam.) used to express amazement and
disbelief with negative coloring: Heavenly days! Look what hap-
pened. The dog did it again on the Persian carpet!