hook, line and sinker

hook, line, and sinker

Completely and unquestioningly. The moment I met my wife, I fell for her hook, line, and sinker. I told them that I like this stupid school, and they fell for it hook, line, and sinker—I guess I'm a pretty good actress. Politicians make us the same old promises every election cycle, and we fall for them hook, line, and sinker—like idiots!

See also: and, sinker

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

hook, line and ˈsinker

if you accept something hook, line and sinker, you accept it completely, either because you have been deceived or because you believe things too easily: Are you telling me that you swallowed his absurd lies hook, line and sinker?

All three words in this expression are items used for catching a fish.

See also: and, line, sinker

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

hook, line, and sinker

Completely, totally, all of it. The expression is often phrased as to swallow [something] hook, line, and sinker, alluding to the gullibility of a fish that takes in bait so completely that it swallows the fishing hook, line, and sinker as well. The term originated in the United States in the mid-nineteenth century. In the late 1980s Len Deighton used it in the titles of a series of three espionage novels involving complicated deceit, Spy Hook, Spy Line, and Spy Sinker. See also lock, stock, and barrel.

See also: and, sinker

The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer