by hook or by crook.
71Deck hook — Hook Hook (h[oo^]k; 277), n. [OE. hok, AS. h[=o]c; cf. D. haak, G. hake, haken, OHG. h[=a]ko, h[=a]go, h[=a]ggo, Icel. haki, Sw. hake, Dan. hage. Cf. {Arquebuse}, {Hagbut}, {Hake}, {Hatch} a half door, {Heckle}.] 1. A piece of metal, or other… …
72Off the hook — Hook Hook (h[oo^]k; 277), n. [OE. hok, AS. h[=o]c; cf. D. haak, G. hake, haken, OHG. h[=a]ko, h[=a]go, h[=a]ggo, Icel. haki, Sw. hake, Dan. hage. Cf. {Arquebuse}, {Hagbut}, {Hake}, {Hatch} a half door, {Heckle}.] 1. A piece of metal, or other… …
73On one's own hook — Hook Hook (h[oo^]k; 277), n. [OE. hok, AS. h[=o]c; cf. D. haak, G. hake, haken, OHG. h[=a]ko, h[=a]go, h[=a]ggo, Icel. haki, Sw. hake, Dan. hage. Cf. {Arquebuse}, {Hagbut}, {Hake}, {Hatch} a half door, {Heckle}.] 1. A piece of metal, or other… …
74crook — [12] A crook ‘criminal’ is almost literally a ‘bent’ person. The underlying meaning of the word is ‘bend, curve, hook’, as can be seen in other applications such as ‘shepherd’s staff with a crooked end’, and particularly in the derivative crooked …
75crook — [12] A crook ‘criminal’ is almost literally a ‘bent’ person. The underlying meaning of the word is ‘bend, curve, hook’, as can be seen in other applications such as ‘shepherd’s staff with a crooked end’, and particularly in the derivative crooked …
76crook — crook1 /krook/, n. 1. a bent or curved implement, piece, appendage, etc.; hook. 2. the hooked part of anything. 3. an instrument or implement having a bent or curved part, as a shepherd s staff hooked at one end or the crosier of a bishop or… …
77crook — /krʊk / (say krook) noun 1. a bent or curved piece, appendage, etc.; a hook; the hooked part of anything. 2. an instrument or implement having a bent or curved part, as a shepherd s staff hooked at one end or as the crozier of a bishop or abbot.… …
78crook — n., v., & adj. n. 1 the hooked staff of a shepherd or bishop. 2 a a bend, curve, or hook. b anything hooked or curved. 3 colloq. a a rogue; a swindler. b a professional criminal. v.tr. & intr. bend, curve. adj. 1 crooked. 2 Austral. & NZ colloq.… …
79crook — I. verb Date: 12th century transitive verb bend intransitive verb curve, wind II. noun Etymology: Middle English crok, from Old Norse krōkr hook Date: 13th century …
80crook — 1. noun /kɹʊk/ a) A person who steals, lies, cheats or does other dishonest or illegal things; a criminal. People have got to know whether or not their President is a crook. Well, Im not a crook. Ive earned everything Ive got. b) A shepherds… …
