GS1The Hindu · Editorial
Know your English
The Hindu’s language column explains the idiom “at the drop of a hat” and distinguishes “marry off,” “egoist,” and “egotist.”
SP
Samachar Pathshala Desk
Published 14 Jul 2026 · 1 min
Key takeaways
- The Hindu publishes a recurring language-usage column that answers questions on idioms and word distinctions.
- The idiom means a person is willing to act promptly without being urged.
- The Hindu language column treats “egoist” and “egotist” as different words with different shades of meaning.
- The Hindu language column uses “marry off” to describe arranging a marriage for someone.
The Hindu language column then distinguishes “egoist” and “egotist”. An egotist is described as an “I” specialist who keeps talking about himself and is often seen as a bore, while an egoist is described as self-interested and strategic, and not necessarily self-absorbed in conversation.
Background and usage point
The UPSC angle
GS1Essay
Language distinctions as a comprehension and expression aid
UPSC aspirants benefit from idiom meaning, usage, and word-choice distinctions because such topics improve reading comprehension, precis-writing, and essay expression. The Hindu language column also shows how English usage develops through common speech and received explanations of word origins.
