Hook (?), n. [OE. hok, AS. hOc; cf. D. haak, G. hake, haken, OHG. hAko, hAgo, hAggo, 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.
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. (Steam Engin.)
See Eccentric, and V-hook.
5.
A snare; a trap. [R.] Shak.
6.
A field sown two years in succession. [Prov. Eng.]
7. pl.
The projecting points of the thigh bones of cattle; -- called also hook bones.
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 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 (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.
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Hook, v. t. [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.]
To hook on, to fasten or attach by, or as by, hook.
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Hook (?), v. i.
To bend; to curve as a hook.
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Hook, n. (Geog.)
A spit or narrow cape of sand or gravel turned landward at the outer end; as, Sandy Hook.
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Hook, v. i.
To move or go with a sudden turn; hence [Slang or Prov. Eng.],
to make off; to clear out; -- often with it. "Duncan was wounded, and the escort hooked it." Kipling.
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