Hook

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Hook, n. [OE. hok, AS. hōc; cf. D. haak, G. hake, haken, OHG. hāko, hāgo, hāggo, Icel. haki, Sw. hake, Dan. hage. Cf. Arquebuse, Hagbut, Hake, Hatch a half door, Heckle.].

•  A piece of metal, or other hard material, formed or bent into a curve or at an angle, for catching, holding, or sustaining anything; as, a hook for catching fish; a hook for fastening a gate; a boat hook, etc.  [1913 Webster]
•  That part of a hinge which is fixed to a post, and on which a door or gate hangs and turns.  [1913 Webster]
•  An implement for cutting grass or grain; a sickle; an instrument for cutting or lopping; a billhook.  [1913 Webster]

  "Like slashing Bentley with his desperate hook."  [1913 Webster]
•  See Eccentric, and V-hook.  [1913 Webster]
•  A snare; a trap.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]
•  A field sown two years in succession.  [1913 Webster]
•  The projecting points of the thigh bones of cattle; -- called also hook bones.  [1913 Webster]
•  A spit or narrow cape of sand or gravel turned landward at the outer end; as, Sandy Hook in New Jersey.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
•  The curving motion of a ball, as in bowling or baseball, curving away from the hand which threw the ball; in golf, a curving motion in the direction of the golfer who struck the ball.  [PJC]
•  A procedure within the encoding of a computer program which allows the user to modify the program so as to import data from or export data to other programs.  [PJC]

By hook or by crook, one way or other; by any means, direct or indirect. Milton. “In hope her to attain by hook or crook.” Spenser. -- Off the hook, freed from some obligation or difficulty; as, to get off the hook by getting someone else to do the job. [Colloq.] -- Off the hooks, unhinged; disturbed; disordered. [Colloq.] “In the evening, by water, to the Duke of Albemarle, whom I found mightly off the hooks that the ships are not gone out of the river.” Pepys.<-- = out of joint --> -- On one's own hook, on one's own account or responsibility; by one's self. [Colloq. U.S.] Bartlett. -- To go off the hooks, to die. [Colloq.] Thackeray. -- Bid hook, a small boat hook. -- Chain hook. See under Chain. -- Deck hook, a horizontal knee or frame, in the bow of a ship, on which the forward part of the deck rests. -- Hook and eye, one of the small wire hooks and loops for fastening together the opposite edges of a garment, etc. -- Hook bill (Zoöl.), the strongly curved beak of a bird. -- Hook ladder, a ladder with hooks at the end by which it can be suspended, as from the top of a wall. -- Hook motion (Steam Engin.), a valve gear which is reversed by V hooks. -- Hook squid, any squid which has the arms furnished with hooks, instead of suckers, as in the genera Enoploteuthis and Onychteuthis. -- Hook wrench, a wrench or spanner, having a hook at the end, instead of a jaw, for turning a bolthead, nut, or coupling.

Hook, v. t. 

•  To catch or fasten with a hook or hooks; to seize, capture, or hold, as with a hook, esp. with a disguised or baited hook; hence, to secure by allurement or artifice; to entrap; to catch; as, to hook a dress; to hook a trout.  [1913 Webster]

  "Hook him, my poor dear, . . . at any sacrifice."  [1913 Webster]
•  To seize or pierce with the points of the horns, as cattle in attacking enemies; to gore.  [1913 Webster]
•  To steal.  [1913 Webster]

To hook on, to fasten or attach by, or as by, hook.

Hook, v. i. 

•  To bend; to curve as a hook.  [1913 Webster]
•  To move or go with a sudden turn;  Kipling.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Hook, n. & v.
--n.
1 a a piece of metal or other material bent back at an angle or with a round bend, for catching hold or for hanging things on. b (in full fish-hook) a bent piece of wire, usu. barbed and baited, for catching fish.
2 a curved cutting instrument (reaping-hook).
3 a a sharp bend, e.g. in a river. b a projecting point of land (Hook of Holland). c a sand-spit with a curved end.
4 a Cricket & Golf a hooking stroke (see sense 5 of v.). b Boxing a short swinging blow with the elbow bent and rigid.
5 a trap, a snare.
6 a a curved stroke in handwriting, esp. as made in learning to write. b Mus. an added stroke transverse to the stem in the symbol for a quaver etc.
7 (in pl.) sl. fingers.
--v.
1 tr. a grasp with a hook. b secure with a hook or hooks.
2 (often foll. by on, up) a tr. attach with or as with a hook. b intr. be or become attached with a hook.
3 tr. catch with or as with a hook (he hooked a fish; she hooked a husband).
4 tr. sl. steal.
5 tr. a Cricket play (the ball) round from the off to the on side with an upward stroke. b (also absol.) Golf strike (the ball) so that it deviates towards the striker.
6 tr. Rugby Football secure (the ball) and pass it backward with the foot in the scrum.
7 tr. Boxing strike (one's opponent) with the elbow bent and rigid.

Idiom

be hooked on sl. be addicted to or captivated by. by hook or by crook by one means or another, by fair means or foul. hook and eye a small metal hook and loop as a fastener on a garment. hook it sl. make off, run away. hook, line, and sinker entirely. hook-nose an aquiline nose. hook-nosed having an aquiline nose. hook-up a connection, esp. an interconnection of broadcasting equipment for special transmissions. off the hook
1 colloq. no longer in difficulty or trouble.
2 (of a telephone receiver) not on its rest, and so preventing incoming calls. off the hooks sl. dead. on one's own hook sl. on one's own account. sling (or take) one's hook sl. = hook it.

Derivative

hookless adj. hooklet n. hooklike adj.

Etymology

OE hoc: sense 3 of n. prob. influenced by Du. hoek corner

THESAURUS

Hook

L, Long Melford, abstract, acquitted, all the way, allure, anchor, anchorage, and, and sinker, angle, angle off, annex, apex, appropriate, arc, arch, argue into, articulate, backhand, backhander, backstroke, bag, bait, bait the hook, baited trap, bar, batten, batten down, belt, bend, bend back, berth, bifurcate, bifurcation, bight, bill, birdlime, bola, bolo punch, bolt, boom, boost, borrow, bow, branch, breakwater, bring over, bring round, bring to reason, buckle, butt, button, cabbage, cant, cape, captivate, capture, catacaustic, catch, catch out, catenary, caustic, charm, chersonese, chevron, circle, clasp, claws, cleared, cleat, clip, clotheshorse, clothespin, clutches, cobweb, coin, collar, come what may, come-on, completely, con, conchoid, convince, cop, coral reef, corner, crane, crank, crib, crook, crotchet, curl, curve, decoy, decoy duck, decurve, deflect, deflection, defraud, delta, diacaustic, digits, dogleg, dome, dovetail, dragnet, draw over, drawcard, drawing card, elbow, ell, ellipse, embezzle, embow, endearment, enmesh, ensnare, ensnarl, entangle, entirely, entoil, entrap, enweb, exonerated, extort, fangs, fastener, festoon, filch, fingernails, fingers, fishhook, flex, fly, foreland, fork, foul, furcate, furcation, gain, gain over, gallows, garter, gibbet, gill net, gin, grab, ground bait, hake, hands, hanger, harpoon, hasp, haymaker, head, headland, hinge, hitch, holder, hook, hook in, hooks, horse, hump, hunch, hyperbola, in the clear, incurvate, incurve, inflect, inflection, inveigle, jam, jaws, jig, joint, knee, knob, land, lariat, lasso, latch, let off, liberate, lift, lime, line, lituus, lock, loop, lure, make off with, mandibles, maxillae, meathooks, mesh, meshes, miter, mitts, mooring, mooring buoy, moorings, mortise, mudhook, mull, nab, nail, nails, naze, ness, net, nick, nip, nippers, nook, noose, off, one-two, out of it, outtalk, palm, parabola, peg, peninsula, persuade, pilfer, pin, pincers, pinch, plug, poach, point, pothook, pounces, pound net, prevail on, prevail upon, prevail with, promontory, purloin, purse seine, quoin, rabbet, recurve, reef, reflect, reflex, remove, retroflex, ring, rip off, rivet, rob, rope, round, round-arm blow, roundhouse, run away with, rustle, sack, sag, sandspit, scarf, screw, scrounge, seine, seize, sell, sell one on, set free, sew, shoplift, short-arm blow, sidewinder, sinus, skewer, slip, snag, snap, snare, snarl, snatch, sniggle, snitch, somehow or other, someway, spar, spear, spinner, spit, spread the toils, springe, spur, squid, staple, steal, stick, stitch, stud, suspenders, suspensory, swag, sway, sweep, swerve, swindle, swing, swipe, tack, take, talk into, talk over, talons, tangle, tangle up with, teeth, thieve, thoroughly, through and through, toggle, toils, tongue, totally, tracery, trap, trawl, trip, turn, unguals, ungulae, uppercut, utterly, vault, veer, vertex, vindicated, walk off with, wangle, wangle into, wear down, wedge, wholly, win, win over, wind, wobbler, yard, yardarm, zag, zig, zigzag, zipper

ROGET THESAURUS

Hook

Junction

VB join, unite, conjoin, connect, associate, put together, lay together, clap together, hang together, lump together, hold together, piece together, tack together, fix together, bind up together together, embody, reembody, roll into one, attach, fix, affix, saddle on, fasten, bind, secure, clinch, twist, make fast, tie, pinion, string, strap, sew, lace, tat, stitch, tack, knit, button, buckle, hitch, lash, truss, bandage, braid, splice, swathe, gird, tether, moor, picket, harness, chain, fetter, lock, latch, belay, brace, hook, grapple, leash, couple, accouple, link, yoke, bracket, marry, bridge over, span, braze, pin, nail, bolt, hasp, clasp, clamp, crimp, screw, rivet, impact, solder, set, weld together, fuse together, wedge, rabbet, mortise, miter, jam, dovetail, enchase, graft, ingraft, inosculate, entwine, intwine, interlink, interlace, intertwine, intertwist, interweave, entangle, twine round, belay, tighten, trice up, screw up, be joined, hang together, hold together, cohere.

Connection

N connection, vinculum, link, connective, connection, junction, bond of union, copula, hyphen, intermedium, bracket, bridge, stepping-stone, isthmus, bond, tendon, tendril, fiber, cord, cordage, riband, ribbon, rope, guy, cable, line, halser, hawser, painter, moorings, wire, chain, string, fastener, fastening, tie, ligament, ligature, strap, tackle, rigging, standing rigging, running rigging, traces, harness, yoke, band ribband, bandage, brace, roller, fillet, inkle, with, withe, withy, thong, braid, girder, tiebeam, girth, girdle, cestus, garter, halter, noose, lasso, surcingle, knot, running knot, cabestro, cinch, lariat, legadero, oxreim, suspenders, pin, corking pin, nail, brad, tack, skewer, staple, corrugated fastener, clamp, U-clamp, C-clamp, cramp, cramp iron, ratchet, detent, larigo, pawl, terret, treenail, screw, button, buckle, clasp, hasp, hinge, hank, catch, latch, bolt, latchet, tag, tooth, hook, hook and eye, lock, holdfast, padlock, rivet, anchor, grappling iron, trennel, stake, post, cement, glue, gum, paste, size, wafer, solder, lute, putty, birdlime, mortar, stucco, plaster, grout, viscum, shackle, rein, prop.

Retention

N retention, retaining, keep, detention, custody, tenacity, firm hold, grasp, gripe, grip, iron grip, fangs, teeth, claws, talons, nail, unguis, hook, tentacle, tenaculum, bond, clutches, tongs, forceps, pincers, nippers, pliers, vice, paw, hand, finger, wrist, fist, neaf, neif, bird in hand, captive, retaining, retentive, tenacious, unforfeited, undeprived, undisposed, uncommunicated, incommunicable, inalienable, in mortmain, in strict settlement, uti possidetis.

Taking

VB take, catch, hook, nab, bag, sack, pocket, put into one's pocket, receive, accept, reap, crop, cull, pluck, gather, draw, appropriate, expropriate, impropriate, assume, possess oneself of, take possession of, commandeer, lay one's hands on, clap one's hands on, help oneself to, make free with, dip one's hands into, lay under contribution, intercept, scramble for, deprive of, take away, carry away, bear away, take off, carry off, bear off, adeem, abstract, hurry off with, run away with, abduct, steal, ravish, seize, pounce upon, spring upon, swoop to, swoop down upon, take by storm, take by assault, snatch, reave, snap up, nip up, whip up, catch up, kidnap, crimp, capture, lay violent hands on, get hold of, lay hold of, take hold of, catch hold of, lay fast hold of, take firm hold of, lay by the heels, take prisoner, fasten upon, grip, grapple, embrace, gripe, clasp, grab, clutch, collar, throttle, take by the throat, claw, clinch, clench, make sure of, catch at, jump at, make a grab at, snap at, snatch at, reach, make a long arm, stretch forth one's hand, take from, take away from, disseize, deduct, retrench, dispossess, ease one of, snatch from one's grasp, tear from, tear away from, wrench from, wrest from, wring from, extort, deprive of, bereave, disinherit, cut off with a shilling, oust, divest, levy, distrain, confiscate, sequester, sequestrate, accroach, usurp, despoil, strip, fleece, shear, displume, impoverish, eat out of house and home, drain, drain to the dregs, gut, dry, exhaust, swallow up, absorb, draw off, suck the blood of, suck like a leech, retake, resume, recover.

Pendency

N pendency, dependency, suspension, hanging, pedicel, pedicle, peduncle, tail, train, flap, skirt, pigtail, pony tail, pendulum, hangnail peg, knob, button, hook, nail, stud, ring, staple, tenterhook, fastening, spar, horse, pendent, pendulous, pensile, hanging, beetling, jutting over, overhanging, projecting, dependent, suspended, loose, flowing, having a peduncle, pedunculate, tailed, caudate.

Curvature

N curvature, curvity, curvation, incurvature, incurvity, incurvation, bend, flexure, flexion, flection, conflexure, crook, hook, bought, bending, deflection, deflexion, inflection, inflexion, concameration, arcuation, devexity, turn, deviation, detour, sweep, curl, curling, bough, recurvity, recurvation, sinuosity, kink, carve, arc, arch, arcade, vault, bow, crescent, half-moon, lunule, horseshoe, loop, crane neck, parabola, hyperbola, helix, spiral, catenary, festoon, conchoid, cardioid, caustic, tracery, arched ceiling, arched roof, bay window, bow window, sine curve, spline, spline curve, spline function, obliquity, curved, curviform, curvilineal, curvilinear, devex, devious, recurved, recurvous, crump, bowed, vaulted, hooked, falciform, falcated, semicircular, crescentic, sinusoid, parabolic, paraboloid, luniform, lunular, semilunar, conchoidal, helical, double helical, spiral, kinky, cordiform, cordated, cardioid, heart shaped, bell shaped, boat shaped, crescent shaped, lens shaped, moon shaped, oar shaped, shield shaped, sickle shaped, tongue shaped, pear shaped, fig shaped, kidney-shaped, reniform, lentiform, lenticular, bow-legged, oblique, circular, aduncated, arclike, arcuate, arched, beaked, bicorn, bicornuous, bicornute, clypeate, clypeiform, cymbiform, embowed, galeiform, hamate, hamiform, hamous, hooked, linguiform, lingulate, lobiform, lunate, navicular, peltate, remiform, rhamphoid, rostrate, rostriferous, rostroid, scutate, scaphoid, uncate, unguiculate, unguiform.