1a piece of metal or other hard material curved or bent back at an angle, for catching hold of or hanging things on:a picture hook
(also fish hook) a bent piece of metal, typically barbed and baited, for catching fish.
2a thing designed to catch people’s attention:companies are looking for a sales hook
a catchy chorus or repeated instrumental passage in a piece of popular music:strong, funky vocals with a hook that gets into your head
3a curved cutting instrument, especially as used for reaping or shearing.
4a short swinging punch made with the elbow bent and rigid, especially in boxing:a perfectly timed right hook to the chin
Cricket a stroke made to the on side with a horizontal or slightly upward swing of the bat at shoulder height.
Golf a stroke which makes the ball deviate in flight in the direction of the follow-through (from right to left for a right-handed player), typically inadvertently.
5a curved stroke in handwriting.
Music an added stroke transverse to the stem in the symbol for a quaver or other note.
6 [usually in place names] a curved promontory or sand spit.
ზმნა
Universal
1 [with object and adverbial] attach or fasten with a hook or hooks:the truck had a red lamp hooked to its tailgateshe tried to hook up her bra [no object]:a ladder that hooks over the roof ridge
bend into the shape of a hook so as to fasten around or to an object: [with object]:he hooked his thumbs in his beltshe hooked a thread around her crochet hook [no object]:her legs hooked around mine
[with object] Rugby secure (the ball) and pass it backwards with the foot in the scrum.
2 [with object] catch with a hook:he hooked a 24 lb pike
informal attract and hold the attention of; captivate:I was hooked by John’s radical zeal
archaic, informal steal:a maid hooked one of her mistress’s dresses
3 [with object] Cricket hit (the ball) round to the on side with a horizontal or slightly upward swing of the bat at shoulder height; hit a ball delivered by (the bowler) with such a stroke.
Golf strike (the ball) so that it deviates in the direction of the follow-through, typically inadvertently.
[no object] Boxing punch one’s opponent with the elbow bent and rigid:McKenzie switched his attack downstairs, hooking to the ribs
4 (often in imperative hook it) British informal, dated run away:kindly hook it—I just want you to scram
5 [no object] (usually as noun hooking) informal (of a woman) work as a prostitute.
by hook or by crook
by any possible means:the government intends, by hook or by crook, to hold on to the land
get one's hooks into
informal get hold of:they were going to move out rather than let Mel get his hooks into them
get (or give someone) the hook
North American informal be dismissed (or dismiss someone) from a job:he got the hook, reportedly due to differences with his co-star
hook, line, and sinker
used to emphasize that someone has been completely deceived or tricked:he fell hook, line, and sinker for this year’s April Fool joke
[with allusion to the taking of bait by a fish]
off the hook
1 informal no longer in difficulty or trouble:I lied to get him off the hook
2(of a telephone receiver) not on its rest, and so preventing incoming calls.
on the hook for
North American informal (in a financial context) responsible for:he’s on the hook for about $9.5 million
on one's own hook
North American informal, dated by oneself:I’m thinking of starting a class on my own hook
sling one's hook
[usually in imperative]British informal leave; go away.
hook up
1 (also hook someone/thing up) link or be linked to electronic equipment: [with object]:Ali was hooked up to an electrocardiograph
2 informal (of two people) meet or form a relationship:he hooked up with a friend in Budapest
engage in or form a casual sexual relationship:hooking up with total strangers can be very dangerous