<p><strong>Noun</strong></p><ul><li>a curved or angular piece of metal or other hard substance for catching, pulling, holding, or suspending something.</li><li>a fishhook.</li><li>anything that catches; snare; trap.</li><li>something that attracts attention or serves as an enticement: The product is good but we need a sales hook to get people to buy it.</li><li>something having a sharp curve, bend, or angle at one end, as a mark or symbol.</li><li>a sharp curve or angle in the length or course of anything.</li><li>a curved arm of land jutting into the water; a curved peninsula: the neighborhood of Red Hook, Brooklyn, situated on a peninsula in upper New York Bay.</li><li>a recurved and pointed organ or appendage of an animal or plant.</li><li>a small curved catch inserted into a loop to form a clothes fastener.</li><li>Sports. the path described by a ball, as in baseball, bowling, or golf, that curves in a direction opposite to the throwing hand or to the side of the ball from which it was struck.</li><li>a ball describing such a path.</li><li>Boxing. a short, circular punch delivered with the elbow bent.</li><li>Music. Also called flag, pennant. a stroke or line attached to the stem of eighth notes, sixteenth notes, etc.</li><li>an appealing melodic phrase, orchestral ornament, refrain, etc., often important to a popular song's commercial success.</li><li>Metalworking. an accidental short bend formed in a piece of bar stock during rolling.</li><li>hooks, Slang. hands or fingers: Get your hooks off that cake!</li><li>Underworld Slang. a pickpocket.</li><li>Also called deck hook. Nautical. a triangular plate or knee that binds together the stringers and plating at each end of a vessel.</li></ul><p><strong>Verb (used with object)</strong></p><ul><li>to seize, fasten, suspend from, pierce, or catch hold of and draw with or as if with a hook.</li><li>to catch (fish) with a fishhook.</li><li>Slang. to steal or seize by stealth.</li><li>Informal. to catch or trick by artifice; snare.</li><li>(of a bull or other horned animal) to catch on the horns or attack with the horns.</li><li>to catch hold of and draw (loops of yarn) through cloth with or as if with a hook.</li><li>to make (a rug, garment, etc.) in this fashion.</li><li>Sports. to hit or throw (a ball) so that a hook results.</li><li>Boxing. to deliver a hook with: The champion hooked a right to his opponent's jaw.</li><li>Rugby. to push (a ball) backward with the foot in scrummage from the front line.</li><li>to make hook-shaped; crook.</li></ul><p><strong>Verb (used without object)</strong></p><ul><li>to become attached or fastened by or as if by a hook.</li><li>to curve or bend like a hook.</li><li>Sports. (of a player) to hook the ball.</li><li>(of a ball) to describe a hook in course.</li><li>Slang. to depart hastily: We’d better hook for home.</li></ul><p><strong>Verb Phrase</strong></p><ul><li>to fasten with a hook or hooks.</li><li>to assemble or connect, as the components of a machine: They helped me hook up my new home security system.</li><li>to connect to a central source, as of power or water: The house hasn't been hooked up to the city's water system yet.</li><li>Informal. to join, meet, or become associated with: He never had a decent job until he hooked up with this company.</li><li>Informal. to have casual sex or a romantic date without a long-term commitment: He doesn't know her very well, but he hooked up with her a couple of times.</li><li>Slang. to supply something scarce or illicit to: The concert is sold out, but my sister knows a guy in the band, so we’re hoping she can hook us up with some tickets.</li><li>My supply of painkillers is totally dry—do you know somebody who can hook me up?</li><li>The concert is sold out, but my sister knows a guy in the band, so we’re hoping she can hook us up with some tickets.</li></ul>