hook

hook
    n 1: a catch for locking a door
    2: a sharp curve or crook; a shape resembling a hook [syn:
       {hook}, {crotchet}]
    3: anything that serves as an enticement [syn: {bait}, {come-
       on}, {hook}, {lure}, {sweetener}]
    4: a mechanical device that is curved or bent to suspend or hold
       or pull something [syn: {hook}, {claw}]
    5: a curved or bent implement for suspending or pulling
       something
    6: a golf shot that curves to the left for a right-handed
       golfer; "he took lessons to cure his hooking" [syn: {hook},
       {draw}, {hooking}]
    7: a short swinging punch delivered from the side with the elbow
       bent
    8: a basketball shot made over the head with the hand that is
       farther from the basket [syn: {hook shot}, {hook}]
    v 1: fasten with a hook [ant: {unhook}]
    2: rip off; ask an unreasonable price [syn: {overcharge},
       {soak}, {surcharge}, {gazump}, {fleece}, {plume}, {pluck},
       {rob}, {hook}] [ant: {undercharge}]
    3: make a piece of needlework by interlocking and looping thread
       with a hooked needle; "She sat there crocheting all day"
       [syn: {crochet}, {hook}]
    4: hit a ball and put a spin on it so that it travels to the
       left
    5: take by theft; "Someone snitched my wallet!" [syn: {hook},
       {snitch}, {thieve}, {cop}, {knock off}, {glom}]
    6: make off with belongings of others [syn: {pilfer}, {cabbage},
       {purloin}, {pinch}, {abstract}, {snarf}, {swipe}, {hook},
       {sneak}, {filch}, {nobble}, {lift}]
    7: hit with a hook; "His opponent hooked him badly"
    8: catch with a hook; "hook a fish"
    9: to cause (someone or oneself) to become dependent (on
       something, especially a narcotic drug) [syn: {addict},
       {hook}]
    10: secure with the foot; "hook the ball"
    11: entice and trap; "The car salesman had snared three
        potential customers" [syn: {hook}, {snare}]
    12: approach with an offer of sexual favors; "he was solicited
        by a prostitute"; "The young man was caught soliciting in
        the park" [syn: {hook}, {solicit}, {accost}]
    

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 hard material, formed or bent
      into a curve or at an angle, for catching, holding, or
      sustaining anything; as, a hook for catching fish; a hook
      for fastening a gate; a boat hook, etc.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. That part of a hinge which is fixed to a post, and on
      which a door or gate hangs and turns.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. An implement for cutting grass or grain; a sickle; an
      instrument for cutting or lopping; a billhook.
      [1913 Webster]

            Like slashing Bentley with his desperate hook.
                                                  --Pope.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. (Steam Engin.) See {Eccentric}, and {V-hook}.
      [1913 Webster]

   5. A snare; a trap. [R.] --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

   6. A field sown two years in succession. [Prov. Eng.]
      [1913 Webster]

   7. pl. The projecting points of the thigh bones of cattle; --
      called also {hook bones}.
      [1913 Webster]

   8. (Geog.) A spit or narrow cape of sand or gravel turned
      landward at the outer end; as, Sandy Hook in New Jersey.
      [Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC]

   9. (Sports) The curving motion of a ball, as in bowling or
      baseball, curving away from the hand which threw the ball;
      in golf, a curving motion in the direction of the golfer
      who struck the ball.
      [PJC]

   10. (Computers) A procedure within the encoding of a computer
       program which allows the user to modify the program so as
       to import data from or export data to other programs.
       [PJC]

   {By hook or by crook}, one way or other; by any means, direct
      or indirect. --Milton. "In hope her to attain by hook or
      crook." --Spenser.

   {Off the hook}, freed from some obligation or difficulty; as,
      to get off the hook by getting someone else to do the job.
      [Colloq.]

   {Off the hooks}, unhinged; disturbed; disordered. [Colloq.]
      "In the evening, by water, to the Duke of Albemarle, whom
      I found mightly off the hooks that the ships are not gone
      out of the river." --Pepys.

   {On one's own hook}, on one's own account or responsibility;
      by one's self. [Colloq. U.S.] --Bartlett.

   {To go off the hooks}, to die. [Colloq.] --Thackeray.

   {Bid hook}, a small boat hook.

   {Chain hook}. See under {Chain}.

   {Deck hook}, a horizontal knee or frame, in the bow of a
      ship, on which the forward part of the deck rests.

   {Hook and eye}, one of the small wire hooks and loops for
      fastening together the opposite edges of a garment, etc.
      

   {Hook bill} (Zool.), the strongly curved beak of a bird.

   {Hook ladder}, a ladder with hooks at the end by which it can
      be suspended, as from the top of a wall.

   {Hook motion} (Steam Engin.), a valve gear which is reversed
      by V hooks.

   {Hook squid}, any squid which has the arms furnished with
      hooks, instead of suckers, as in the genera
      {Enoploteuthis} and {Onychteuthis}.

   {Hook wrench}, a wrench or spanner, having a hook at the end,
      instead of a jaw, for turning a bolthead, nut, or
      coupling.
      [1913 Webster]
    

Hook \Hook\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Hooked}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Hooking}.]
   1. To catch or fasten with a hook or hooks; to seize,
      capture, or hold, as with a hook, esp. with a disguised or
      baited hook; hence, to secure by allurement or artifice;
      to entrap; to catch; as, to hook a dress; to hook a trout.
      [1913 Webster]

            Hook him, my poor dear, . . . at any sacrifice. --W.
                                                  Collins.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To seize or pierce with the points of the horns, as cattle
      in attacking enemies; to gore.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. To steal. [Colloq. Eng. & U.S.]
      [1913 Webster]

   {To hook on}, to fasten or attach by, or as by, hook.
      [1913 Webster]
    

Hook \Hook\, v. i.
   1. To bend; to curve as a hook.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To move or go with a sudden turn; hence [Slang or Prov.
      Eng.], to make off; to clear out; -- often with it.
      "Duncan was wounded, and the escort hooked it." --Kipling.
      [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
    

hook
 n.

   A software or hardware feature included in order to simplify later
   additions or changes by a user. For example, a simple program that
   prints numbers might always print them in base 10, but a more flexible
   version would let a variable determine what base to use; setting the
   variable to 5 would make the program print numbers in base 5. The
   variable is a simple hook. An even more flexible program might examine
   the variable and treat a value of 16 or less as the base to use, but
   treat any other number as the address of a user-supplied routine for
   printing a number. This is a {hairy} but powerful hook; one can then
   write a routine to print numbers as Roman numerals, say, or as Hebrew
   characters, and plug it into the program through the hook. Often the
   difference between a good program and a superb one is that the latter
   has useful hooks in judiciously chosen places. Both may do the
   original job about equally well, but the one with the hooks is much
   more flexible for future expansion of capabilities ({EMACS}, for
   example, is all hooks). The term user exit is synonymous but much more
   formal and less hackish.
    

HOOK

   ? Object Oriented Kernel.  Delphia.  An object-oriented
   extension of Delphia Prolog.

   [{Jargon File}]
    

hook

   <programming> A {software} or {hardware} feature included in
   order to simplify later additions or changes by a user.

   For example, a simple program that prints numbers might always
   print them in base 10, but a more flexible version would let a
   variable determine what base to use; setting the variable to 5
   would make the program print numbers in base 5.  The variable
   is a simple hook.  An even more flexible program might examine
   the variable and treat a value of 16 or less as the base to
   use, but treat any other number as the address of a
   user-supplied routine for printing a number.  This is a
   {hairy} but powerful hook; one can then write a routine to
   print numbers as Roman numerals, say, or as Hebrew characters,
   and plug it into the program through the hook.

   Often the difference between a good program and a superb one
   is that the latter has useful hooks in judiciously chosen
   places.  Both may do the original job about equally well, but
   the one with the hooks is much more flexible for future
   expansion of capabilities.

   {Emacs}, for example, is *all* hooks.

   The term "user exit" is synonymous but much more formal and
   less hackish.

   (1997-06-25)
    

Hook
(1.) Heb. hah, a "ring" inserted in the nostrils of animals to
which a cord was fastened for the purpose of restraining them (2
Kings 19:28; Isa. 37:28, 29; Ezek. 29:4; 38:4). "The Orientals
make use of this contrivance for curbing their
work-beasts...When a beast becomes unruly they have only to draw
the cord on one side, which, by stopping his breath, punishes
him so effectually that after a few repetitions he fails not to
become quite tractable whenever he begins to feel it"
(Michaelis). So God's agents are never beyond his control.

  (2.) Hakkah, a fish "hook" (Job 41:2, Heb. Text, 40:25; Isa.
19:8; Hab. 1:15).

  (3.) Vav, a "peg" on which the curtains of the tabernacle were
hung (Ex. 26:32).

  (4.) Tsinnah, a fish-hooks (Amos 4:2).

  (5.) Mazleg, flesh-hooks (1 Sam. 2:13, 14), a kind of fork
with three teeth for turning the sacrifices on the fire, etc.

  (6.) Mazmeroth, pruning-hooks (Isa. 2:4; Joel 3:10).

  (7.) 'Agmon (Job 41:2, Heb. Text 40:26), incorrectly rendered
in the Authorized Version. Properly a rush-rope for binding
animals, as in Revised Version margin.
    

353 Moby Thesaurus words for "hook":
      L, Long Melford, abstract, acquitted, all the way, allure, anchor,
      anchorage, and, and sinker, angle, angle off, annex, apex,
      appropriate, arc, arch, argue into, articulate, backhand,
      backhander, backstroke, bag, bait, bait the hook, baited trap, bar,
      batten, batten down, belt, bend, bend back, berth, bifurcate,
      bifurcation, bight, bill, birdlime, bola, bolo punch, bolt, boom,
      boost, borrow, bow, branch, breakwater, bring over, bring round,
      bring to reason, buckle, butt, button, cabbage, cant, cape,
      captivate, capture, catacaustic, catch, catch out, catenary,
      caustic, charm, chersonese, chevron, circle, clasp, claws, cleared,
      cleat, clip, clotheshorse, clothespin, clutches, cobweb, coin,
      collar, come what may, come-on, completely, con, conchoid,
      convince, cop, coral reef, corner, crane, crank, crib, crook,
      crotchet, curl, curve, decoy, decoy duck, decurve, deflect,
      deflection, defraud, delta, diacaustic, digits, dogleg, dome,
      dovetail, dragnet, draw over, drawcard, drawing card, elbow, ell,
      ellipse, embezzle, embow, endearment, enmesh, ensnare, ensnarl,
      entangle, entirely, entoil, entrap, enweb, exonerated, extort,
      fangs, fastener, festoon, filch, fingernails, fingers, fishhook,
      flex, fly, foreland, fork, foul, furcate, furcation, gain,
      gain over, gallows, garter, gibbet, gill net, gin, grab,
      ground bait, hake, hands, hanger, harpoon, hasp, haymaker, head,
      headland, hinge, hitch, holder, hook, hook in, hooks, horse, hump,
      hunch, hyperbola, in the clear, incurvate, incurve, inflect,
      inflection, inveigle, jam, jaws, jig, joint, knee, knob, land,
      lariat, lasso, latch, let off, liberate, lift, lime, line, lituus,
      lock, loop, lure, make off with, mandibles, maxillae, meathooks,
      mesh, meshes, miter, mitts, mooring, mooring buoy, moorings,
      mortise, mudhook, mull, nab, nail, nails, naze, ness, net, nick,
      nip, nippers, nook, noose, off, one-two, out of it, outtalk, palm,
      parabola, peg, peninsula, persuade, pilfer, pin, pincers, pinch,
      plug, poach, point, pothook, pounces, pound net, prevail on,
      prevail upon, prevail with, promontory, purloin, purse seine,
      quoin, rabbet, recurve, reef, reflect, reflex, remove, retroflex,
      ring, rip off, rivet, rob, rope, round, round-arm blow, roundhouse,
      run away with, rustle, sack, sag, sandspit, scarf, screw, scrounge,
      seine, seize, sell, sell one on, set free, sew, shoplift,
      short-arm blow, sidewinder, sinus, skewer, slip, snag, snap, snare,
      snarl, snatch, sniggle, snitch, somehow or other, someway, spar,
      spear, spinner, spit, spread the toils, springe, spur, squid,
      staple, steal, stick, stitch, stud, suspenders, suspensory, swag,
      sway, sweep, swerve, swindle, swing, swipe, tack, take, talk into,
      talk over, talons, tangle, tangle up with, teeth, thieve,
      thoroughly, through and through, toggle, toils, tongue, totally,
      tracery, trap, trawl, trip, turn, unguals, ungulae, uppercut,
      utterly, vault, veer, vertex, vindicated, walk off with, wangle,
      wangle into, wear down, wedge, wholly, win, win over, wind,
      wobbler, yard, yardarm, zag, zig, zigzag, zipper