in hock

phrase

informal

1

: in the possession of a pawnbroker

His gold watch is in hock.

2

: in debt

He is in hock to his boss for several thousand dollars.

Examples of in hock in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Campbell, in hock to the Legislature is expected to deny this too. — Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 2 Feb. 2026

Members are now so in hock to the leadership that no one dares to question decisions made by House and Senate leaders. — Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 3 Jan. 2026

Is what was once an oasis of innovation and free-thinking now in hock to a fundamentalism as blunt as a machete? — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 11 Aug. 2025

Is what was once an oasis of innovation and free-thinking now in hock to a fundamentalism as blunt as a machete? — Walden Green, Pitchfork, 10 Aug. 2025

Unfortunately, his past comes back to haunt him when Finney turns out to be deeply in hock to Big Cat, who sends her goons to inflict some physical damage. — Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Feb. 2024

Numerous family troubles soon become evident, from Lydia’s bitter rivalry with her sister (Tia Carrere) to his cousin Eugene (Eugene Cordero) being in hock to the tune of $40,000 to a local gangster wannabe (Asif Ali). — Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Aug. 2022

But for most of them, leaving would mean breaking their contracts and leaving family members in Vietnam in hock to labor brokers and loan sharks who paid their way to Serbia, the workers say. — New York Times, 22 Jan. 2022

Rhymes for in hock

• alcock
• beanstalk
• bedrock
• boardwalk
• catwalk
• cornstalk
• crosswalk
• deadlock
• feedstock
• fetlock
• flintlock
• goshawk