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.

See also: and, sinker

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

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