By hook or by crook

By hook or by crook
Hook Hook (h[oo^]k; 277), n. [OE. hok, AS. h[=o]c; cf. D. haak, G. hake, haken, OHG. h[=a]ko, h[=a]go, h[=a]ggo, Icel. haki, Sw. hake, Dan. hage. Cf. {Arquebuse}, {Hagbut}, {Hake}, {Hatch} a half door, {Heckle}.] 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. [1913 Webster]

2. That part of a hinge which is fixed to a post, and on which a door or gate hangs and turns. [1913 Webster]

3. 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. --Pope. [1913 Webster]

4. (Steam Engin.) See {Eccentric}, and {V-hook}. [1913 Webster]

5. A snare; a trap. [R.] --Shak. [1913 Webster]

6. A field sown two years in succession. [Prov. Eng.] [1913 Webster]

7. pl. The projecting points of the thigh bones of cattle; -- called also {hook bones}. [1913 Webster]

8. (Geog.) A spit or narrow cape of sand or gravel turned landward at the outer end; as, Sandy Hook in New Jersey. [Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC]

9. (Sports) 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]

10. (Computers) 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.

{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} (Zo["o]l.), 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. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • By hook or by crook — crook crook (kr[oo^]k), n. [OE. crok; akin to Icel. kr[=o]kr hook, bend, SW. krok, Dan. krog, OD. krooke; or cf. Gael. crocan crook, hook, W. crwca crooked. Cf. {Crosier}, {Crotchet}, {Crutch}, {Encroach}.] 1. A bend, turn, or curve; curvature;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • by hook or by crook — adverb in any way necessary I ll pass this course by hook or by crook • Syn: ↑by any means * * * BY ANY MEANS, somehow (or other), no matter how, in one way or another, by fair means or foul. → ho …   Useful english dictionary

  • By hook or by crook — is an English phrase meaning by any means necessary , suggesting that one need not be concerned with morality or other considerations when accomplishing some goal.The origin of the phrase is obscure, with multiple different explanations and no… …   Wikipedia

  • by hook or by crook — {adv. phr.} By honest ways or dishonest in any way necessary. * /The wolf tried to get the little pigs by hook or by crook./ * /The team was determined to win that last game by hook or by crook, and three players were put out of the game for… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • by hook or by crook — {adv. phr.} By honest ways or dishonest in any way necessary. * /The wolf tried to get the little pigs by hook or by crook./ * /The team was determined to win that last game by hook or by crook, and three players were put out of the game for… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • by\ hook\ or\ by\ crook — adv. phr. By honest ways or dishonest in any way necessary. The wolf tried to get the little pigs by hook or by crook. The team was determined to win that last game by hook or by crook, and three players were put out of the game for fouling …   Словарь американских идиом

  • by hook or by crook — if you intend to do something by hook or by crook, you are determined not to let anything stop you doing it and are ready to use any methods. I decided that I was going to get that job by hook or by crook …   New idioms dictionary

  • by hook or by crook — If you are prepared to do something by hook or by crook, you are willing to do anything, good or bad, to reach your goal …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • by hook or by crook — ► by hook or by crook by any possible means. Main Entry: ↑hook …   English terms dictionary

  • by hook or by crook — adverb By any means possible; one way or another. She was determined to finish the project, by hook or by crook …   Wiktionary

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