What does the following sentence mean?

Posted on November 30th, 2009 by admin in first american realestate | 15 Comments »

"but many Americans would relocate at the drop of a hat if they could."

Source: http://promo.realestate.yahoo.com/americas-most-and-least-favorite-cities.html
I inferred from the context that it means they’d move with no hesitation?
I’m not confused about it .. I want to know how does the "hat" statement relate to the concept of "moving out"?

drop of a hat- An idiom meaning to happen quickly, easily. For example, in the amount of time it would take a hat to fall to the ground.

SO, if given the chance many Americans would move out of where they lived to another BETTER place (to change one’s residence or place of business; move) right away.

15 Responses

  1. Charla Says:

    a lot of people are not happy with where they live…lol
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  2. illneverbeyou Says:

    Really? Are you seriously confused by that statement? It’s blatantly obvious.

    Americans don’t like being where they are. Probably due to our genocidal consensus as a country.
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  3. Faisal A Says:

    Lots of americans would MOVE OUT OF THEIR AREA INTO ANOTHER (TOWN , STATE , CITY , COUNTRY) if they had the means to (money)
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  4. themusicgirl95 Says:

    I think it means that, in there opinion i suppose, if Americans could relocate, they would very quickly.
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    my brrraaiiinnn :D

  5. Simo Says:

    They would move as soon as possible if they could.
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  6. Ginger Ninja Says:

    "Many Americans would move somewhere else really fast if it was only possible."
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  7. Ryan B Says:

    I think this talks about people being pissed at the current real estate market.
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  8. GiGiMonkey Says:

    Many Americans make excuses for not going after what they really want…?
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  9. Mary Says:

    many Americans would move rather quickly if they were able to
    "at the drop of a hat" means quickly, easily, without needing to think over it
    http://www.goenglish.com/AtTheDropOfAHat.asp
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  10. Nick Says:

    At the drop of a hat means something is done ( quickly and easily, "without needing to decide." )– "but many Americans would relocate (move out) as quickly as possible if they could."
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  11. labrada87 Says:

    drop of a hat- An idiom meaning to happen quickly, easily. For example, in the amount of time it would take a hat to fall to the ground.

    SO, if given the chance many Americans would move out of where they lived to another BETTER place (to change one’s residence or place of business; move) right away.
    References :
    http://www.dictionary.com
    http://www.urbandictionary.com

  12. MyDaroga Says:

    It seems like a fairly simplistic sentence, as the other replier noted. Are you perhaps confused in regard to the phrase "drop of a hat"? It’s an idiom that basically means "immediately".
    References :
    http://www.goenglish.com/AtTheDropOfAHat.asp

  13. Victor Says:

    I believe it means that the hat represents the head of the nation, the boss of a company, the leader of a group, the captain of a team, even a spiritual guide, etc. So the people would move away (if possible/the sooner-the better) when the followed "head" drops down which means: is dead, defeated, moved away or to a side, replaced, etc.
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  14. Marie Says:

    "hat" doesn’t quite mean anything if it’s by itself…
    "Drop of a hat" is an old saying meaning quickly, at that instant

    It’s just one of those weird phrases.
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  15. Raven Says:

    The "hat" statement doesn’t relate to moving at all. It is an English idiom meaning very quickly, without having to think about the decision. It comes from the old tradition of starting a competition by waving a cap. You can also equate it with the suddenness of a hat blowing off in the wind, I suppose.
    References :

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