Definition of "old hat"
old hat1
noun
uncountable
(idiomatic) Something regarded as very familiar and unoriginal, hackneyed, or out of date.
Quotations
We curved through the bright mile or two of the Strip, […] past the Georgian-Colonial vogue, now old hat, past the handsome modernistic buildings in which the Hollywood flesh-peddlers never stop talking money, […]
1940, Raymond Chandler, chapter 21, in Farewell, My Lovely: A Mystery, Tower Books edition, Cleveland, Oh.; New York, N.Y.: World Publishing Company, published October 1944, page 100
adjective
comparative more old hat, superlative most old hat
(idiomatic) Very familiar and unoriginal; common, hackneyed, out of date.
Quotations
[I]t is old hat for a sex scandal to bring down a politician.
1987 May 8, Elaine Sciolino, “Washington talk: The [Gary] Hart story grips the capital; foreigners amused and baffled”, in The New York Times (B section), New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, archived from the original on 2022-10-09, page 8
As for the greeting she [Elizabeth II] and her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, received when they arrived outside the Capitol about 3:30 p.m. – well, based on the size of the crowd, perhaps the queen is old hat.
2007 May 4, Fredrick Kunkle, Paul Duggan, “Straining for a glimpse of royalty: Queen launches visit in Richmond by offering sympathy over Va. Tech tragedy”, in The Washington Post, Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post Company, archived from the original on 2025-02-19
The only real knock against "Mortshall" is that "Rick and Morty get sick of each other and split up for a while" feels kind of old hat at this point—the comic premise of the show requires their relationship to be toxic (because a lot of the humor comes from seeing Rick be a shit and seeing Morty try haplessly to deal with Rick being a shit), and they can only try and sell the illusion that anything is going to change so many times before it starts to get stale.
2021 September 6, Zack Handlen, “Rick and Morty Ends Its Fifth Season Looking for an Escape Hatch”, in The A.V. Club, archived from the original on 2024-12-02
old hat2
noun
countable and uncountable, plural old hats
(by extension)
(countable, derogatory) A woman treated as a sexual partner.
Quotations
VVhy, hovv novv, ye piece of old Hat, vvhat are ye muſty? the Jade's as muſty as a ſtale pot of Marmalade of her ovvn making.
1697, [Thomas] d’Urfey, The Intrigues at Versailles: Or, A Jilt in All Humours: A Comedy, […], London: […] F. Saunders […], P. Buck […], R. Parker […], and H. Newman […], Act IV, scene i, page 40
Top-diver, a Lover of VVomen. An old Top-diver, one that has Lov'd Old-hat in his time.
, B. E., “Top-diver”, in A New Dictionary of the Terms Ancient and Modern of the Canting Crew, […], London: […] W. Hawes […], P. Gilbourne […], and W. Davis […]; reprinted [London]: [Smith, Kay & Co.], 1899, signature M3, recto
(uncountable) Sexual intercourse.
Quotations
[S]he very pertly reply'd, She had done that not vvith a Design to affront but to convince me of the Value ſhe had for my Preſent; for that if the Pedantick Blockhead ſhould come, he ſhould only have a little bit of Old-Hat to ſtay his Stomach, till he got to ſome Harlot of his ovvn Puritanical Flock, […]
1723, Charles Walker, “Letter XI”, in Authentick Memoirs of the Life Intrigues and Adventures of the Celebrated Sally Salisbury. […], London: [s.n.], page 103