take one's hat off to

take one's hat off to

1. To remove one's hat as a sign of respect to.
2. (idiomatic) To praise or thank; to congratulate.
   • 1934, Agatha Christie, chapter 8, in Murder on the Orient Express, London: HarperCollins, published 2017, page 255:

     'You will excuse me,' he said, 'but no one would believe it to look at you. I take my hat off to you. I do, indeed.

• hats off