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by hook or by crook

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hook

1  [hook]
Use by hook or by crook in a Sentence
–noun
1. a curved or angular piece of metal or other hard substance for catching, pulling, holding, or suspending something.
2. a fishhook.
3. anything that catches; snare; trap.
4. something that attracts attention or serves as an enticement: The product is good but we need a sales hook to get people to buy it.
5. something having a sharp curve, bend, or angle at one end, as a mark or symbol.
6. a sharp curve or angle in the length or course of anything.
7. a curved arm of land jutting into the water; a curved peninsula: Sandy Hook.
8. a recurved and pointed organ or appendage of an animal or plant.
9. a small curved catch inserted into a loop to form a clothes fastener.
10. Sports.
a. the path described by a ball, as in baseball, bowling, or golf, that curves in a direction opposite to the throwing hand or to the side of the ball from which it was struck.
b. a ball describing such a path.
11. Boxing. a short, circular punch delivered with the elbow bent.
12. Music.
a. Also called pennant. a stroke or line attached to the stem of eighth notes, sixteenth notes, etc.
b. an appealing melodic phrase, orchestral ornament, refrain, etc., often important to a popular song's commercial success.
13. Metalworking. an accidental short bend formed in a piece of bar stock during rolling.
14. hooks, Slang. hands or fingers: Get your hooks off that cake!
15. Underworld Slang. a pickpocket.
16. Also called deck hook. Nautical. a triangular plate or knee that binds together the stringers and plating at each end of a vessel.
–verb (used with object)
17. to seize, fasten, suspend from, pierce, or catch hold of and draw with or as if with a hook.
18. to catch (fish) with a fishhook.
19. Slang. to steal or seize by stealth.
20. Informal. to catch or trick by artifice; snare.
21. (of a bull or other horned animal) to catch on the horns or attack with the horns.
22. to catch hold of and draw (loops of yarn) through cloth with or as if with a hook.
23. to make (a rug, garment, etc.) in this fashion.
24. Sports. to hit or throw (a ball) so that a hook results.
25. Boxing. to deliver a hook with: The champion hooked a right to his opponent's jaw.
26. Rugby. to push (a ball) backward with the foot in scrummage from the front line.
27. to make hook-shaped; crook.
–verb (used without object)
28. to become attached or fastened by or as if by a hook.
29. to curve or bend like a hook.
30. Sports.
a. (of a player) to hook the ball.
b. (of a ball) to describe a hook in course.
31. Slang. to depart hastily: We'd better hook for home.
—Verb phrase
32. hook up,
a. to fasten with a hook or hooks.
b. to assemble or connect, as the components of a machine: to hook up a stereo system.
c. to connect to a central source, as of power or water: The house hasn't been hooked up to the city's water system yet.
d. Informal. to join or become associated with: He never had a decent job until he hooked up with this company.
—Idioms
33. by hook or by crook, by any means, whether just or unjust, legal or illegal. Also, by hook or crook.
34. get or give the hook, Informal. to receive or subject to a dismissal: The rumor is that he got the hook.
35. hook it, Slang. to run away; depart; flee: He hooked it when he saw the truant officer.
36. hook, line, and sinker, Informal. entirely; completely: He fell for the story—hook, line, and sinker.
37. off the hook,
a. out of trouble; released from some difficulty: This time there was no one around to get him off the hook.
b. free of obligation: His brother paid all his bills and got him off the hook.
38. on one's own hook, Informal. on one's own initiative or responsibility; independently.
39. on the hook, Slang.
a. obliged; committed; involved: He's already on the hook for $10,000.
b. subjected to a delaying tactic; waiting: We've had him on the hook for two weeks now.
Origin:
bef. 900; 1830–40, Americanism for def. 35; ME hoke (n. and v.), OE hōc (n.); c. D hoek hook, angle, corner; akin to G Haken, ON haki

Related forms:
hookless, adjective
hooklike, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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hook   (hŏŏk)   
n.  

    1. A curved or sharply bent device, usually of metal, used to catch, drag, suspend, or fasten something else.

    2. A fishhook.

    3. A curved or barbed plant or animal part.

    4. A short angled or curved line on a letter.

    5. A sickle.

    6. A sharp bend or curve, as in a river.

    7. A point or spit of land with a sharply curved end.

    8. A means of attracting interest or attention; an enticement: a sales hook.

    9. Music A catchy motif or refrain: "sugary hard rock melodies [and] ear candy hooks" (Boston Globe).

    10. A short swinging blow in boxing delivered with a crooked arm.

    11. The course of a ball that curves in a direction away from the dominant hand of the player propelling it, as to the left of a right-handed player.

    12. A stroke that sends a ball on such a course.

    13. A ball propelled on such a course.

    14. In surfing, the lip of a breaking wave.

  2. Something shaped like a hook, especially:

    1. A curved or barbed plant or animal part.

    2. A short angled or curved line on a letter.

    3. A sickle.

    4. A sharp bend or curve, as in a river.

    5. A point or spit of land with a sharply curved end.

    6. A means of attracting interest or attention; an enticement: a sales hook.

    7. Music A catchy motif or refrain: "sugary hard rock melodies [and] ear candy hooks" (Boston Globe).

    8. A short swinging blow in boxing delivered with a crooked arm.

    9. The course of a ball that curves in a direction away from the dominant hand of the player propelling it, as to the left of a right-handed player.

    10. A stroke that sends a ball on such a course.

    11. A ball propelled on such a course.

    12. In surfing, the lip of a breaking wave.

    1. A sharp bend or curve, as in a river.

    2. A point or spit of land with a sharply curved end.

    3. A means of attracting interest or attention; an enticement: a sales hook.

    4. Music A catchy motif or refrain: "sugary hard rock melodies [and] ear candy hooks" (Boston Globe).

    5. A short swinging blow in boxing delivered with a crooked arm.

    6. The course of a ball that curves in a direction away from the dominant hand of the player propelling it, as to the left of a right-handed player.

    7. A stroke that sends a ball on such a course.

    8. A ball propelled on such a course.

    9. In surfing, the lip of a breaking wave.

  4. A means of catching or ensnaring; a trap.

  5. Slang

    1. A means of attracting interest or attention; an enticement: a sales hook.

    2. Music A catchy motif or refrain: "sugary hard rock melodies [and] ear candy hooks" (Boston Globe).

    3. A short swinging blow in boxing delivered with a crooked arm.

    4. The course of a ball that curves in a direction away from the dominant hand of the player propelling it, as to the left of a right-handed player.

    5. A stroke that sends a ball on such a course.

    6. A ball propelled on such a course.

    7. In surfing, the lip of a breaking wave.

  6. Sports

    1. A short swinging blow in boxing delivered with a crooked arm.

    2. The course of a ball that curves in a direction away from the dominant hand of the player propelling it, as to the left of a right-handed player.

    3. A stroke that sends a ball on such a course.

    4. A ball propelled on such a course.

    5. In surfing, the lip of a breaking wave.

  7. Baseball A curve ball.

  8. Basketball A hook shot.

v.   hooked, hook·ing, hooks

v.   tr.

    1. To catch, suspend, or connect with a hook.

    2. Informal To snare.

    3. Slang To steal; snatch. See Synonyms at steal.

    4. To take strong hold of; captivate: a novel that hooked me on the very first page.

    5. To cause to become addicted.

    6. To hit with a hook in boxing.

    7. To hit (a golf ball) in a hook.

  2. To fasten by or as if by a hook.

  3. To pierce or gore with or as if with a hook.

  4. Slang

    1. To take strong hold of; captivate: a novel that hooked me on the very first page.

    2. To cause to become addicted.

    3. To hit with a hook in boxing.

    4. To hit (a golf ball) in a hook.

  5. To make (a rug) by looping yarn through canvas with a type of hook.

  6. Sports

    1. To hit with a hook in boxing.

    2. To hit (a golf ball) in a hook.

  7. Baseball To pitch (a ball) with a curve.

  8. Basketball To shoot (a ball) in a hook shot.

  9. Sports To impede the progress of (an opponent in ice hockey) by holding or restraining the player with one's stick, in violation of the rules.

v.   intr.

  1. To bend like a hook.

  2. To fasten by means of a hook or a hook and eye.

  3. Slang To work as a prostitute.

Phrasal Verb(s):
hook up

  1. To assemble or wire (a mechanism).

  2. To connect a mechanism and a source of power.

  3. Slang

    1. To meet or associate: We agreed to hook up after class. He hooked up with the wrong crowd.

    2. To become romantically or sexually involved with someone.

    3. To marry or get married.


Idiom(s):
by hook or by crookBy whatever means possible, fair or unfair.

Idiom(s):
get the hook Slang To be unceremoniously dismissed or terminated.

Idiom(s):
hook, line, and sinker Informal Without reservation; completely: swallowed the excuse hook, line, and sinker.

Idiom(s):
off the hook Informal Freed, as from blame or a vexatious obligation: let me off the hook with a mild reprimand.

Idiom(s):
on (one's) own hookBy one's own efforts.

[Middle English hok, from Old English hōc; see keg- in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Cultural Dictionary

by hook or by crook

By whatever means possible, fair or unfair: “Polly was determined to get an A on the exam by hook or by crook.”

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Slang Dictionary
hook

  1. tv.
    to cheat someone. : Watch the clerk in that store. He might try to hook you.
  2. tv.
    to steal something. : Lefty hooked a couple of candy bars just for the hell of it.
  3. tv.
    to addict someone (to something). (Not necessarily drugs.) : The constant use of bicarb hooked him to the stuff.
  4. n.
    the grade of C. : I didn't study at all and I still got a hook!
  5. tv.
    to earn or pull the grade of C on something in school. : History? I hooked it without any trouble.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Word Origin & History

hook 
O.E. hoc, perhaps related to O.E. haca "bolt," from P.Gmc. *khokaz/*khakan- (cf. Du. haak, Ger. Haken "hook"), from PIE *keg- "bent object" (cf. Rus. kogot "claw"). For spelling, see hood. Boxing sense of "short, swinging blow with the elbow bent" is from 1898. Fig. sense was in M.E. (see hooker); hooked "addicted" is from 1925, originally in ref. to narcotics. By hook or by crook (c.1380) probably alludes to tools of professional thieves. Hook, line, and sinker "completely" is 1838, a metaphor from angling.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: hook
Pronunciation: 'huk
Function: noun
1 : an instrument used in surgery to take hold of tissue hook> hook>
2 : an anatomical part that resembles a hook
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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