What does the expression "Off the hook" mean? It seems like it's used mostly in the States. Will be greatly appreciated.
2007-03-06 17:04:44 · 8 answers · asked by fall out boy 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
it means being taken out of or escaping from a very awkward situation of accountability. For example, I came home and found my living room in disarray - drinking gasses, saucers, pilows, just untidy. My teenage daughter has been home all day and was given instructions not to make a mess in the house nor invite her freinds over. The mess in the living room tells me that my daughter had something to do with it. I am about to take her to task (scold and mayne punish her) but then I notice that she is looking very pale and sickly. Distracted with her health concerns, I forget about the mess in the iving room. My daughter has just been left "off the hook." She escaped potential punishment.
2007-03-06 17:19:09 · answer #1 · answered by Phoebhart 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It means "Whew!, I'm not the one in trouble." I'm off the hook, somebody else will get blamed. I'm not responsible, somebody else is. I'm free of blame. When you catch a fish, you take it off the hook and let it go, or keep it and eat it. Off the hook is free, I get to swim away. But that's upstate NY, can't speak for the rest of the usa.
2007-03-06 17:21:07 · answer #2 · answered by mhiaa 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Getting off the hook means you escape the liability of something wrong that you did.
2007-03-06 21:42:30 · answer #3 · answered by Rene B 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
nicely, as you factor out, we actual have a sort of different small, indigenous communities living in remoted places, frequently prepared alongside tribal lines somewhat than by potential of states. Any somewhat distant section is like that -even interior of prepared united states of america states there are aspects the place the state equipment and the nationwide regulations are supplanted by potential of community customs, community militias, and a plethora of categories of social company. None of those aspects look somewhat appealing to somebody living in a famous, wealthy, urbanized commercial society. forget approximately approximately Somalia, this is in simple terms difficult to ascertain a famous heavily populated state with many city aspects prepared alongside certainly one of those casual/tribal lines with diverse regulations/practices/economic structures, etc. i'm not asserting that social evolution alongside those lines is impossible or maybe undesirable if it must be worked perfect, however the shortage of genuine international examples of libertarian/anarcho-capitalist/anarcho-s... regardless of "stateless" societies, quite cutting-facet, commercial, densely populated city ones, is precisely the project. Forgive Rachel her snark, you appear to be an rather existence like smart fellow and that i'm specific you 2 might get alongside and function very exciting debates.
2016-10-17 11:18:25 · answer #4 · answered by croes 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"off the hook" can mean "out of trouble"
So used in a sentence...
"My brother took the blame and let me off the hook."
OR
"I'll let you boys off the hook if you promise not to argue anymore tonight."
But the phrase can also mean "cool", "awesome", "amazing" etc...
Used in a sentence...
"Whoa! that back flip was off the hook!"
2007-03-06 17:28:42 · answer #5 · answered by Sarah 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In the U.S. it usually means fantastic.
2007-03-06 17:13:33 · answer #6 · answered by Geri S 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well its actually slang and its used all over the place...and it means...amazing, or great, or rockin, etc...
2007-03-06 17:21:43 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it differs in different contexts. check this link:
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=off+the+hook
2007-03-06 17:10:51 · answer #8 · answered by spraytt 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋