Hook — Defs

01 n. 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 …

1.
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.
2.
That part of a hinge which is fixed to a post, and on which a door or gate hangs and turns.
3.
An implement for cutting grass or grain; a sickle; an instrument for cutting or lopping; a billhook.
“Like slashing Bentley with his desperate hook.” — Pope.
4.
See Eccentric, and V-hook.(Steam Engin.) See: Eccentric, V-hook
5.
A snare; a trap.[R.]
6.
A field sown two years in succession.[Prov. Eng.]
7.
The projecting points of the thigh bones of cattle; -- called also hook bones. Also: hook bones
8.
A spit or narrow cape of sand or gravel turned landward at the outer end; as, Sandy Hook in New Jersey.(Geog.)
9.
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.(Sports)
10.
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.(Computers)

Phrases & compounds

By hook or by crook — one way or other; by any means, direct or indirect.

Off the hook — freed from some obligation or difficulty; as, to get off the hook by getting someone else to do the job.

Off the hooks — unhinged; disturbed; disordered.

On one's own hook — on one's own account or responsibility; by one's self.

To go off the hooks — to die.

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 — 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 — 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.

02 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…

imp. & p. p. Hooked; p. pr. & vb. n. Hooking

1.
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.
“Hook him, my poor dear, . . . at any sacrifice.” — W. Collins.
2.
To seize or pierce with the points of the horns, as cattle in attacking enemies; to gore.
3.
To steal.[Colloq. Eng. & U.S.]

Phrases & compounds

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

03 v. i. To bend; to curve as a hook.