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by hook or by crook

Cultural  

  1. By whatever means possible, fair or unfair: “Polly was determined to get an A on the exam by hook or by crook.”

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

By hook or by crook, you must keep the ball out at one end and put it into the net at the other.

From BBC • Oct. 29, 2025

By hook or by crook, Napoli are finding the way to accumulate the wins under Conte and the former captain and coach of Juventus is doing well to eradicate the Azzurri’s soft underbelly.

From BBC • Oct. 29, 2024

By hook or by crook, England have got a toe back in this game.

From The Guardian • Nov. 13, 2015

By hook or by crook, England have got a toe back in this game.

From The Guardian • Nov. 13, 2015

By hook or by crook, by spit or by wit.

From "The Inquisitor's Tale" by Adam Gidwitz

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.