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by hook or crook

by hook or crook
B b

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • UK Pronunciation
    • UK IPA
    • [bahy hoo k awr kroo k]
    • /baɪ hʊk ɔr krʊk/
    • /baɪ hʊk ɔː(r) krʊk/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [bahy hoo k awr kroo k]
    • /baɪ hʊk ɔr krʊk/

Definitions of by hook or crook words

  • noun by hook or crook by any means 3
  • noun by hook or crook a curved or angular piece of metal or other hard substance for catching, pulling, holding, or suspending something. 1
  • noun by hook or crook a fishhook. 1
  • noun by hook or crook anything that catches; snare; trap. 1
  • noun by hook or crook something that attracts attention or serves as an enticement: The product is good but we need a sales hook to get people to buy it. 1
  • noun by hook or crook something having a sharp curve, bend, or angle at one end, as a mark or symbol. 1
See all 39 definitions of by hook or crook

Information block about the term

Origin of by hook or crook

First appearance:

before 900
One of the 4% oldest English words
before 900; 1830-40, Americanism for def 36; Middle English hoke (noun and v.), Old English hōc (noun); cognate with Dutch hoek hook, angle, corner; akin to German Haken, Old Norse haki

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for By hook or crook

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
Full grammatical hierarchy of By hook or crook

by hook or crook popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 97% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

by hook or crook usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for by hook or crook

adv by hook or crook

  • anyway — You use anyway or anyhow to indicate that a statement explains or supports a previous point.
  • anyhow — Anyhow means the same as anyway.
  • after a fashion — If you say that something was done after a fashion, you mean that it was done, but not very well.
  • anywise — in any way or manner; at all
  • come what may — to approach or move toward a particular person or place: Come here. Don't come any closer!
All 6 Synonyms of by hook or crook

Antonyms for by hook or crook

adv by hook or crook

Just one Antonym for by hook or crook

See also

Matching words

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