# off the hook

Pronunciation: US say "awf thuh HUUK" /ˌɔf ðə ˈhʊk/; UK say "of thuh HUUK" /ˌɒf ðə ˈhʊk/; AUS say "of-thuh-HUUK"

## Idiom

1. Freed from a duty, burden, or responsibility, or no longer facing pressure or blame.
   - Simple: Free from a duty, or no longer in trouble for something.
   - _The manager took the blame himself, leaving the whole team off the hook._
   - _Paying the fine in full got him off the hook with the court._
2. Of a telephone, having the receiver lifted so the connection stays open rather than properly hung up.
   - Simple: When a phone is not hung up, so the line stays open and no new calls come through.
   - _She knocked the phone off the hook and didn't notice for an hour._
   - _With the landline off the hook, callers heard nothing but a busy tone._
3. Of a telephone, ringing again and again because of a high volume of incoming calls.
   - Simple: When a phone rings again and again because so many people are calling.
   - _The radio station's lines were ringing off the hook with contest entries._
   - _When the story broke, reporters had the newsroom phones ringing off the hook._
4. Exceptionally cool and up to date; excellent to the point of seeming incredible. *(slang)*
   - Simple: Very cool and up to date, or really amazing.
   - _Her custom sneakers are absolutely off the hook this season._
   - _The light show at the concert was off the hook._
5. Performing extraordinarily well, as in a sport, game, or hobby. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: Playing a sport or game extremely well.
   - _The quarterback was off the hook tonight, throwing four touchdowns._
   - _On the back nine, his putting was off the hook and the lead grew._

## Origin

**Meaning 1** — This phrase alludes to a fish that has escaped the hook of a fishing line.
**Meanings 2–3** — This refers to the old candlestick telephone, which was hung up by placing the receiver on a hook. Leaving the receiver off the hook prevented the phone from receiving any calls.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/off-the-hook (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).