a curved or angular piece of metal or other hard substance for catching, pulling, holding, or suspending something.
a fishhook.
anything that catches; snare; trap.
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.
something having a sharp curve, bend, or angle at one end, as a mark or symbol.
a sharp curve or angle in the length or course of anything.
a curved arm of land jutting into the water; a curved peninsula: Sandy Hook.
a recurved and pointed organ or appendage of an animal or plant.
a small curved catch inserted into a loop to form a clothes fastener.
Sports.
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.
a ball describing such a path.
Boxing. a short, circular punch delivered with the elbow bent.
Music.
Also called flag, pennant. a stroke or line attached to the stem of eighth notes, sixteenth notes, etc.
an appealing melodic phrase, orchestral ornament, refrain, etc., often important to a popular song's commercial success.
Metalworking. an accidental short bend formed in a piece of bar stock during rolling.
hooks,Slang. hands or fingers: Get your hooks off that cake!
Underworld Slang. a pickpocket.
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)
to seize, fasten, suspend from, pierce, or catch hold of and draw with or as if with a hook.
to catch (fish) with a fishhook.
Slang. to steal or seize by stealth.
Informal. to catch or trick by artifice; snare.
(of a bull or other horned animal) to catch on the horns or attack with the horns.
to catch hold of and draw (loops of yarn) through cloth with or as if with a hook.
to make (a rug, garment, etc.) in this fashion.
Sports. to hit or throw (a ball) so that a hook results.
Boxing. to deliver a hook with: The champion hooked a right to his opponent's jaw.
Rugby. to push (a ball) backward with the foot in scrummage from the front line.
to make hook-shaped; crook.
verb (used without object)
to become attached or fastened by or as if by a hook.
to curve or bend like a hook.
Sports.
(of a player) to hook the ball.
(of a ball) to describe a hook in course.
Slang. to depart hastily: We'd better hook for home.
Verb Phrases
hook up,
to fasten with a hook or hooks.
to assemble or connect, as the components of a machine: to hook up a stereo system.
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.
Informal.to join, meet, or become associated with: He never had a decent job until he hooked up with this company.
Informal.to have casual sex or a romantic date without a long-term commitment: He doesn't know her very well, but he hooked up with her a couple of times.
Slang.to supply something scarce or illicit to: My supply of painkillers is totally dry—do you know somebody who can hook me up?The concert is sold out, but my sister knows a guy in the band, so we’re hoping she can hook us up with some tickets.
Idioms for hook
by hook or by crook, by any means, whether just or unjust, legal or illegal.Also by hook or crook .
get / give the hook, Informal. to receive or subject to a dismissal: The rumor is that he got the hook.
hook it, Slang. to run away; depart; flee: He hooked it when he saw the truant officer.
hook, line, and sinker, Informal. entirely; completely: He fell for the story—hook, line, and sinker.
off the hook,
out of trouble; released from some difficulty: This time there was no one around to get him off the hook.
free of obligation: Her brother paid all her bills and got her off the hook.
Slang.extremely or shockingly excellent: Wow, that song is off the hook!
on one's own hook, Informal. on one's own initiative or responsibility; independently.
on the hook, Slang.
obliged; committed: involved: He's already on the hook for $10,000.
subjected to a delaying tactic; waiting: We've had him on the hook for two weeks now.
Origin of hook
1
First recorded before 900; 1830–40, Americanismfor def. 36; Middle English hoke, Old English hōc; cognate with Dutch hoek “hook, angle, corner”; akin to German Haken, Old Norse haki
OTHER WORDS FROM hook
hookless,adjectivehooklike,adjective
WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH hook
penance, pennants
Words nearby hook
hoofprint, Hooft, Hoogh, Hooghly, hoo-ha, hook, hookah, hook and eye, hook and ladder, hook-and-ladder company, hook bolt