hang out one's shingle



hang out one's shingle

Open an office, especially a professional practice, as in Bill's renting that office and hanging out his shingle next month. This American colloquialism dates from the first half of the 1800s, when at first lawyers, and later also doctors and business concerns, used shingles for signboards.
See also: hang, out, shingle

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
Alfarr-Ancient Scandinavian
Cynbel-Ancient Celtic
Emmanouil-Greek
Amabel['æməbel]
Veasna-Khmer
Krzesimir-Polish