pass the hat round字面意思是分发、传送帽子，但是我们通常用的是它的引申含义“募捐、集资、凑份子钱。

【例句】
We passed the hat around the office and collected three hundred dollars to help pay the doctor's bill.
我们在办公室里募捐了三百多美元，来帮助他付医疗费。

Claire has had an accident and is in hospital so I suggest we pass the hat round to buy her some flowers to cheer her up.
克莱尔出事故住院了，因此我建议我们募捐些钱买束鲜花去慰问她。