on the hook

O o

Transcription

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- [on, awn stressed th ee hoo k]
- /ɒn, ɔn stressed ði hʊk/

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- [on, awn stressed th ee hoo k]
- /ɒn, ɔn stressed ði hʊk/

Definitions of on the hook words

noun on the hook a curved or angular piece of metal or other hard substance for catching, pulling, holding, or suspending something. 1
noun on the hook a fishhook. 1
noun on the hook anything that catches; snare; trap. 1
noun on the hook 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 on the hook something having a sharp curve, bend, or angle at one end, as a mark or symbol. 1
noun on the hook a sharp curve or angle in the length or course of anything. 1

See all 40 definitions of on the hook

Information block about the term

Origin of on the hook

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 On the hook

noun

adjective

verb

adverb

pronoun

preposition

conjunction

determiner

exclamation

Full grammatical hierarchy of On the hook

on the hook 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".

on the hook usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for on the hook

adj on the hook

accountable — If you are accountable to someone for something that you do, you are responsible for it and must be prepared to justify your actions to that person.
at the helm — steering a ship
decision-making — the act or process of making decisions
duty-bound — If you say you are duty-bound to do something, you are emphasizing that you feel it is your duty to do it.

adjective on the hook

compelled — to force or drive, especially to a course of action: His disregard of the rules compels us to dismiss him.
contracted — under contract; governed or arranged by special contract: a contract carrier.
fettered — a chain or shackle placed on the feet.
hampered — Hinder or impede the movement or progress of.

All 9 Synonyms of on the hook