hang one's hat on

present singular third person hangs one's hat on · participle present hanging one's hat on · participle past hung one's hat on · past hung one's hat on

1. transitiveTo accept or recognize as reliable, tangible, or factual; to depend on.

   "You can't hang your hat on a nonbinding letter of intent."

   1998 October 16, Saul Hansell, “Zap, a Nervy Internet Venture, Is Zapped”, in New York Times, retrieved 08 Nov 2015

   2 more examples

   The Nuggets don't have the most dynamic offense nor do they have a real superstar to hang their hat on but their defense is strong.

   2013 March 26, Jessica Danielle, “Sports Notes”, in Ebony, retrieved 08 Nov 2015

   So far, all we've heard is "Don't you want to see a female president." . . . [I]t's easy to see why Clinton has little else to hang her hat on. She has no real achievements to speak of in her term as senator.

   2015 April 10, Bob McWilliams, “Plain Speaking: GOP field of candidates is diverse”, in Capital Gazette, retrieved 08 Nov 2015