Verb
pass the hat (third-person singular simple present passes the hat, present participle passing the hat, simple past and past participle passed the hat)
(idiomatic) To ask for money, especially from a group of people; to solicit donations or contributions.
Every Thanksgiving, we all write down three things we're thankful for and put them in a hat. Then we pass the hat around the dinner table and everyone has to guess who wrote what! Debby Ryan