hook

1 of 2

noun

ˈhu̇k 

1

a

: a curved or bent device for catching, holding, or pulling

b

: something intended to attract and ensnare

c

: anchor sense 1

2

: something curved or bent like a hook

especially, hooks plural : fingers

3

: a flight or course of a ball that deviates from straight in a direction opposite to the dominant hand of the player propelling it

also : a ball following such a course compare slice

4

: a short blow delivered with a circular motion by a boxer while the elbow remains bent and rigid

5

: hook shot

6

: buttonhook

7

: quick or summary removal

—used with get or give

the pitcher got the hook after giving up three runs

8

: a device especially in music or writing that catches the attention

9

: a selling point or marketing scheme

10

: cradle sense 1b(2)

hook

2 of 2

verb

hooked; hooking; hooks

transitive verb

1

: to form into a hook : crook

2

a

: to seize or make fast by or as if by a hook

b

: to connect by or as if by a hook

It … comes with a detachable carabiner for hooking it to whatever you want …

—Tyler Lacoma

Fortunately, it isn't hard to hook your computer to your TV.

—Kim Comando

—often used with up

We didn't have the opportunity to hook up a trailer, so we can't comment on braking under serious load.

—Jeremy Korzeniewski

It lets you hook up your phone to a bigger screen and use a mouse and keyboard.

—Joanna Stern

3

: steal, pilfer

4

: to make (something, such as a rug) by drawing loops of yarn, thread, or cloth through a coarse fabric with a hook

5

: to hit or throw (a ball) so that a hook results

intransitive verb

1

: to form a hook : curve

2

: to become hooked

3

: to work as a prostitute

Phrases

by hook or by crook

: by any means

off the hook

1

: out of trouble

2

: free of responsibility or accountability

on one's own hook

: by oneself : independently

Synonyms

Noun

• bang
• bash
• bat
• beat
• belt
• biff
• blow
• bop
• box
• buffet
• bust
• chop
• clap
• clip
• clout
• crack
• cuff
• dab
• douse [British]
• fillip
• hack
• haymaker
• hit
• knock
• larrup [dialect]
• lash
• lick
• pelt
• pick
• plump
• poke
• pound
• punch
• rap
• slam
• slap
• slug
• smack
• smash
• sock
• spank
• stinger
• stripe
• stroke
• swat
• swipe
• switch
• thud
• thump
• thwack
• wallop
• welt
• whack
• wham
• whop
• whap

Verb

• arch
• bend
• bow
• crook
• curve
• swerve

Examples of hook in a Sentence

Noun

She hit a hook into the left rough.

He threw a right hook to his opponent's body.

Verb

The train cars were hooked together.

My sweater was hooked on a branch.

I hooked the door shut.

The dress hooks in the back.

The two parts hooked together.

He hooked a large fish.

He hooked his arm around my neck.

She hooked her fingers around the doorknob.

He hooked his thumb through a loop of his pants.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Small sellers aren't completely off the hook, though. —Scott Horsley, NPR, 11 Apr. 2024

And with 99 Cents Only as the company name, the widening discrepancy between its longtime marketing hook and what was actually on the price tags became glaring to budget-conscious customers. —Andrea Chang, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2024

After the People story came out, my phone starts ringing off the hook. —Liz McNeil, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024

Being a procrastinator is not a decent excuse, and Miss Manners is not going to let you off the hook by declaring a statute of limitations. —Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2024

Her impetuous plan to sink a German gunboat provides a strong narrative hook that propels the two lovebirds into unexpectedly heroic roles. —Danny Horn, EW.com, 9 Apr. 2024

Both of our boats still hang from hooks in my garage. —Maggie Slepian, Longreads, 2 Apr. 2024

Though the final season of the flagship series lacked a strong villainous hook, its penultimate year was haunted by Samantha Morton’s terrifying Alpha, queen of the Whisperers, and the woman who brought the AMC zombie drama back to form under the brilliant leadership of showrunner Angela Kang. —Josh Wigler, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Mar. 2024

Plus, the changing pad hooks to a stroller for the ultimate portability. —Maya Polton, Parents, 29 Mar. 2024

Verb

Sandford’s devoted fans will love this one, and newcomers will be hooked. —Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 7 Apr. 2024

The copper tanks are hooked right to our draft system. —Kristine M. Kierzek, Journal Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2024

People can use it for months at a time without having to worry about getting hooked. —Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024

TikTok has trained users to scroll away if they aren’t hooked within the first half-second, social media video editors said. —Taylor Lorenz, Washington Post, 30 Mar. 2024

The scientists hooked the dogs up to an electroencephalogram (EEG) machine using non-invasive scalp sensors to measure their brain activity. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Mar. 2024

Shopping for the latter at a local railroad store, the Orange County native who grew up within walking distance to Disneyland was suddenly hooked by the model railroad industry. —Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2024

Equipped with a standard flat beater, wire whisk, dough hook, and a spatula, the mixer has plenty of attachments to handle mixtures of different densities. —Laura Denby, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Mar. 2024

What hooks viewers are the family dynamics but perhaps also just the Maine of it all. —Olivia McCormack, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English hōc; akin to Middle Dutch hoec fishhook, corner, Lithuanian kengė hook

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing hook

• boat hook
• by hook or by crook
• cant hook
• duck hook
• gang hook
• get the hook
• give (someone) the hook
• grappling hook
• hook and eye
• hook and ladder truck
• hook check
• hook into
• hook, line and sinker
• hook shot
• hook up
• jump hook
• let (someone) off the hook
• mouth hook
• off the hook
• on one's own hook
• on the hook for
• pruning hook
• ring off the hook
• sling one's hook
• tail hook

Kids Definition

hook

1 of 2 noun

ˈhu̇k 

1

: a curved or bent tool for catching, holding, or pulling

2

: something curved or bent

3

: the flight of a ball curving to the left when hit or thrown by a right-hander or to the right when hit or thrown by a left-hander

4

: a short sweeping punch made with the elbow bent

5

: cradle entry 1 sense 6

left the phone off the hook

hook

2 of 2 verb

1

: to form into a hook : crook, curve

2

a

: to seize, make fast, or connect by or as if by a hook

b

: to become secured or connected by or as if by a hook

3

: pilfer, steal

4

: to make by drawing loops of thread, yarn, or cloth through a coarse fabric with a hook

hook a rug

5

: to hit or throw a ball so that a hook results

Medical Definition

hook

noun

ˈhu̇k 

1

: an instrument used in surgery to take hold of tissue

a crypt hook

a cordotomy hook

2

: an anatomical part that resembles a hook