I. ˈhu̇k noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English hok, hook, from Old English hōc; akin to Old Frisian hōk corner, MD hoec fishhook, corner, Old English haca bolt, Old High German hāko hook, Icelandic haki hook, Old Norse haka chin, Middle Irish ail cheng rake, stand for weapons, Lithuanian kengė hook, latch
1.
a.
(1) : an implement for cutting grass or grain : sickle , scythe
(2) : an implement for cutting or lopping : billhook
b. : a hand fork with the tines turned nearly at right angles to the handle
a potato hook
manure hooks
c. : a curved metal prong attached to a leather wristband for tearing the husks from an ear of corn
2.
a. : a piece of metal or other hard or tough material formed or bent into a curve or at an angle for catching, holding, sustaining, or pulling something
a hook for fastening a gate
a hook for filing papers
b. : any of various hooked objects: as
(1) : breasthook
(2) : an artificial replacement for the hand made in the form of a hook
(3) : an instrument used in surgery to take hold of tissue
crypt hook
chordotomy hook
(4) : the part of a hook and eye that is bent over to form a finger that fits into the eye
(5) : a long pole with a hooked end by which one in the wings can reach out and pull a performer off the stage — often used in the phrase get the hook
(6) : fire hook
3.
a. : fishhook ; broadly : any angling device or lure capable of taking but one fish at a time
b. : something designed to attract and ensnare
4. : a part of a hinge that is fixed to a post and on which the part that is fixed to a door or gate hangs and turns
5. : something felt to resemble a hook: as
a. : a sharp bend or curve (as in a stream) or a spit or narrow cape of sand or gravel turned landward at the outer end
wave action may build spits into hooks
b.
(1) : an angular or recurved mark (as a written character or an element in one)
(2) : ear
the hook of lower-case g or q
(3) flag V 3a
(4) : parenthesis 3a — used in printing; usually in plural
c.
(1) : a recurved part or appendage of a plant or animal
burrs clinging by their hooks
(2) or hook bone : the projecting angle of the hipbone of cattle — usually used in plural
a good covering of flesh over the hooks
d. : the angle between the face of a tooth and a line to the center of a circular saw or to a line perpendicular to the back of a band saw
e. : anchor
f. hooks plural , slang : fingers
just let me get my hooks on him
g. : a lever by which a device (as a fire-alarm box) is actuated
h. : a mobile wrecking crane ; broadly : a wreck train or car mounting a crane
6.
a. : an act or instance of hooking
the cow gave a sudden hook and ripped his sleeve
b. : a flight of a ball (as in golf, cricket, bowling, baseball) that deviates from a straight course in a direction opposite to the dominant hand of the player projecting it ; also : a ball following such a course — compare slice , spin
c. : a short blow delivered with a circular motion by a boxer while the elbow remains bent and rigid
7. : crook 2b
•
- by hook or by crook
- drop off the hooks
- off the hood
- off the hooks
- on one's own hook
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English hoken, from hok, hook, n.
transitive verb
1. : to give the form of a hook to : crook
hooked an arm about the stanchion
2.
a. : to make fast with or as if with a hook or hooks
hook a dress
b. : to seize, capture, or hold with a hook
hooked a large trout
c. : to secure or catch as if with a hook
hooked herself a husband
as
(1) slang : to reduce to a complete loss of self-control : make wholly dependent — usually used in passive
hooked by the morphine habit
(2) slang : to entrap into improper, undesirable, or foolish activity
when the sucker listens he's half hooked
(3) : to hold (a dancing partner) by interlocking feet or elbows ; also : to interlock (feet or elbows) in dancing
3.
a. : to seize and draw with or as if with a hook
hooked the logs out of the channel
b. : to take by stealth : steal , pilfer
hooking apples from the tree
4. : to strike or pierce with the points of the horns : gore
5.
a. : to make (as a rug) by drawing loops of thread, yarn, or cloth through a coarse fabric with a hook
b. : to so draw (as yarn) in forming a pattern
hooked heavy woolen rags into an ombré pattern
6.
a. : to strike (a boxing opponent) with a hook
b. : to strike or throw (as a golf ball or bowling ball) so that a hook results — compare fade , slice
c. : to hit (a bowled cricket ball) to leg with a stroke in which the bat swings upward and in a leg direction
d.
(1) : to intercept (the ball) in rugby and propel backward with the heel of the boot from the front line of the scrum
(2) : to gain possession of (the ball) in soccer by reaching out, intercepting, and drawing with the foot
intransitive verb
1. : to bend sharply so as to form a hook curve
the beak hooks strongly downward
2. slang : to make off : leave , depart
hooked for home
— usually used with formulary it
hook it, the cops are coming
3. : to secure or fasten by or as if by a hook
a dress that hooks in back
4.
a. : to make an attack with the horns
the bull hooked at his handler
b. : to deliver a hook in boxing
hooking expertly but without much power
5.
a. of a ball : to travel in or be a hook
the ball hooked badly but bounced onto the fairway
b. of a player : to hook a ball
hooked into the rough
c. : to score or attempt to score in basketball with a hook shot
III. noun
1. : hook shot
2. : a device especially in music or writing that catches the attention
trick is to find some sonic hook that will galvanize dancers on the floor — Newsweek
3. : a selling point or marketing scheme
needed to find a hook to raise money for the project