hook
hook [hook hooks hooked hooking] noun, verb BrE [hʊk] NAmE [hʊk]
noun 
1. a curved piece of metal, plastic or wire for hanging things on, catching fish with, etc
•a picture/curtain/coat hook
•a fish hook
• Hang your towel on the hook.
see also ↑boathook
2. (in boxing)a short hard blow that is made with the elbow bent
•a left hook to the jaw
3. (in ↑cricket and ↑golf)a way of hitting the ball so that it curves sideways instead of going straight ahead
4. a thing that is used to make people interested in sth
• The images are used as a hook to get children interested in science.
•Well-chosen quotations can serve as a hook to catch the reader's interest.
more at ring off the hook at ↑ring 2 v., sling your hook at ↑sling v.
Word Origin:
Old English hōc, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch hoek ‘corner, angle, projecting piece of land’, also to German Haken ‘hook’.
Example Bank:
•The key was hanging from a hook.
•Your coat's hanging on a hook behind the door.
Idioms: ↑by hook or by crook ▪ ↑get off the hook ▪ ↑hook, line and sinker ▪ ↑let somebody off the hook ▪ ↑off the hook
Derived: ↑hook somebody up ▪ ↑hook somebody up with somebody ▪ ↑hook up ▪ ↑hook up with somebody
verb
1. transitive, intransitive to fasten or hang sth on sth else using a hook; to be fastened or hanging in this way
•~ sth + adv./prep. We hooked the trailer to the back of the car.
•+ adv./prep. a dress that hooks at the back
2. transitive, intransitive to put sth, especially your leg, arm or finger, around sth else so that you can hold onto it or move it; to go around sth else in this way
•~ sth + adv./prep. He hooked his foot under the stool and dragged it over.
•She hooked her arm through her sister's.
•He managed to hook his fingers under the stone.
•Her thumbs were hooked into the pockets of her jeans.
•Hook the rope through your belt.
•+ adv./prep. Suddenly an arm hooked around my neck.
3. transitive ~ sth to catch a fish with a hook
•It was the biggest pike I ever hooked.
• (figurative)She had managed to hook a wealthy husband.
4. transitive ~ sth (especially in ↑golf, ↑cricket or football ( ↑soccer ))to hit or kick a ball so that it goes to one side instead of straight ahead
•He hooked his drive into the trees.
•I hooked the first ball for a six.
•He hooked his shot over the bar.
•Try and hook the ball around the defenders.
Verb forms: 
Word Origin:
Old English hōc, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch hoek ‘corner, angle, projecting piece of land’, also to German Haken ‘hook’.
Example Bank:
•He hooked an arm around her neck.
•He hooked the rope over a branch.
•The boat was moored to an anchor firmly hooked into the bank.
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