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.”

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

by hook or by crook

Seemingly, all the children of the Valley are being shuttled by their parents toward Stanford, where they will matriculate by hook or by crook.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 12, 2026

"I'm going to have to hope we can get on some kind of train or get to Liverpool somehow by hook or by crook," he adds.

From BBC ● Jun. 20, 2022

But enhanced unemployment benefits expire in mid-March, and they’re determined to reach their legislative goal by that effective deadline by hook or by crook.

From Slate ● Jan. 29, 2021

But the one thing we all agree on, and that we all KNOW, is that by hook or by crook “Company” is coming back!

From New York Times ● May 14, 2020

Another way of saying you don’t know what you’ve got. by hook or by crook.

From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner