hook
1. noun, slang A means of captivating or attracting others, especially a potential customer or consumer; a gimmick. The movie's hook at the time was its incredible computer-generated graphics. Unfortunately, the visual effects look pretty laughable by today's standards. You've always got to have a hook when you're trying to sell something. A mystery with a good hook will always suck me in.
2. verb, slang To attract (someone). The company offers a huge range of benefits in order to hook the most talented people in the industry. If you want to be a model, you need to have impressive headshots to hook a prominent agent in the industry. Quite honestly, the house won't hook any buyers in its current ramshackle state.
3. verb, slang To captivate (someone). Her latest novel hooked me from the very first page. Mom, he's a known con man. Don't let him hook you with these bogus get-rich-quick schemes. Peter hooked the audience with the exciting tales of his world travels.
4. verb, informal To addict (someone). He got hooked on heroin in college. Well, if you never smoke, you'll never get hooked—see how that works? He says he's not hooked, but I think he smokes weed most days.
5. verb, informal To prostitute oneself. It's not uncommon to see women hooking in this area at night. From what I heard, she gave up hooking and went back to school. Ew, you creep! I'm not out here hooking—I'm waiting for the bus!
hook it
1. To flee or run away. Primarily heard in UK. We hooked it when we heard police sirens advancing. The would-be burglars hooked it as soon as they triggered the security alarm. We've committed our troops to this cause, and we will not hook it just because the path has proved difficult.
2. To solicit and accept a car ride from someone, usually a stranger; to hitchhike. The phrase refers to the thumb (used to attract a passing driver's attention) as a "hook." If the bus isn't running today, what are we going to do, hook it? We didn't have any money for a taxi, so we had to hook it to get to the train station. We can't hook it! Are you trying to get us home or get us killed?
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.