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   hook

   /hʊk/

   noun

   • 1. a piece of metal or other hard material curved or bent back at an angle, for catching hold of or hanging things on: "a picture hook" Similar pegholderfastenerfasteningcatchclasphaspclippinbucklehook and eyefibula
   • ▪ a bent piece of metal, typically barbed and baited, for catching fish. Similar fish hookbarbsnaretrap
   • ▪ a cradle on which a phone receiver rests.
   • 2. a thing designed to catch people's attention: "companies are looking for a sales hook"
   • ▪ a catchy chorus or repeated instrumental passage in a piece of popular music: "strong, funky vocals with a hook that gets into your head"
   • 3. a curved cutting instrument, especially as used for reaping or shearing. Similar billhookscythesickle
   • 4. a short swinging punch made with the elbow bent and rigid, especially in boxing: "a perfectly timed right hook to the chin" Similar punchblowhitboxcuffthumpsmackcrackknockthwackskelpinformal:beltbopbiffsockcloutwhackwallopplugslugwhopsloshdotboffdong
   • ▪ a stroke made to the on side with a horizontal or slightly upward swing of the bat at shoulder height.
   • ▪ a stroke that makes the ball deviate in flight in the direction of the follow-through (from right to left for a right-handed player), typically inadvertently.
   • 5. a curved stroke in handwriting.
   • ▪ an added stroke transverse to the stem in the symbol for a quaver or other note.
   • 6. a curved promontory or sand spit.

   verb

   • 1. attach or fasten with a hook or hooks: "the truck had a red lamp hooked to its tailgate" Similar attachfixhitchfastensecureclasparchaic:haspgrappleOpposite unhitch
   • ▪ bend into the shape of a hook so as to fasten around or to an object: "he hooked his thumbs in his belt" Similar curlbendcrookloopanglecurve
   • 2. catch with a hook: "he hooked a 24 lb pike" Similar catchtakelandnetbagsnareensnaretrapentrapOpposite release
   • ▪ steal: archaic, informal "a maid hooked one of her mistress's dresses"
   • 3. attract and hold the attention of; captivate: informal "I was hooked by John's radical zeal"
   • 4. hit (the ball) round to the on side with a horizontal or slightly upward swing of the bat at shoulder height; hit a ball delivered by (the bowler) with such a stroke.
   • ▪ strike (the ball) so that it deviates in the direction of the follow-through, typically inadvertently.
   • ▪ punch one's opponent with the elbow bent and rigid: "McKenzie switched his attack downstairs, hooking to the ribs"
   • ▪ use one's stick to restrain (an opponent), for which a penalty may be assessed: "the defenceman hooked him from behind"
   • 5. secure (the ball) and pass it backwards with the foot in the scrum.

   Word Origin Old Englishhōc, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch hoek ‘corner, angle, projecting piece of land’, also to German Haken ‘hook’.

   Derivatives

   • 1. hookless adjective
   • 2. hooklet noun
   • 3. hooklike adjective

   Scrabble Points: 11

   • H

     4

   • O

     1

   • O

     1

   • K

     5

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