tip of the Stetson

plural tips of the Stetson

1. Synonym of tip of the hat.

   Mr. Barber gives a verbal tip of the Stetson to the Minnesota Beef Council, and to Barb, the owner of the stockyards cafe: “Stop in there, and Barb’ll fix ya up.” Then, with nothing else to say, he begins his auction song, a tongue-dancing scat of words and numbers that thwarts translation.

   2008 April 14, Dan Barry, “Silence Replaces Bids and Moos at Stockyards in Suburbs”, in The New York Times

   1 more example

   Petty is right that today’s country is rock-oriented, with old-timey instrumentation, like fiddle, slapped on as a folksy ornament — a little tip of the Stetson to tradition. He’s also right that George Jones and Buck Owens have lost their grip on the imaginations of today’s country artists, who look to other influences.

   2013 August 15, Jody Rosen, “Rosen: Does Tom Petty Hate Tom Petty Music?”, in Vulture

   Synonyms: tip of the hat