n. 1 hanger, peg, holder; fastener, catch, clasp, clip, pin Hang your hat on that hook I'm using a safety pin because the hook on my dress is gone. 2 snare, trap; fish-hook What can we use as a hook to catch the fish? 3 by hook or by crook somehow (or other), someway, come what may, by fair means or foul, (by) one way or another I have to get out of this place by hook or by crook 4 hook, line, and sinker. completely, entirely, all the way, through and through, thoroughly, entirely, totally, utterly, wholly She actually fell for that old routine hook, line, and sinker 5 off the hook. (set) free, (in the) clear, out of it; out of trouble, acquitted, exonerated, cleared, let off, vindicated, off After paying them the extortion money, he still wasn't off the hook
v. 6 catch, trap, entrap, snare, ensnare; grab, capture, collar, nab, seize; Chiefly US and Canadian snag, Colloq pinch The petty crooks have been caught but we now want to hook the big fish himself 7 steal, pilfer, filch, palm, shoplift, rob, Slang snitch, rip off, Euphemistic liberate, remove, borrow, appropriate, Brit nick, Chiefly Brit pinch They used to hook sweets from Woolies'