Hook of Holland

American  

noun

1. a cape and the harbor it forms in the SW Netherlands.

---

Hook of Holland British  

noun

1. a cape on the SW coast of the Netherlands, in South Holland province

2. a port on this cape

---

Etymology

Origin of Hook of Holland

First recorded in 1785–95

Example Sentences

They had just disembarked from a ferry to the Hook of Holland.

From BBC

Separately, the Dutch customs agency shared a picture of foodstuffs it had confiscated from motorists in the ferry terminal the Hook of Holland.

From BBC

In 2016, Britain’s Border Force identified Zeebrugge, along with the Hook of Holland, as key ports for “clandestine arrivals” into Britain.

From Washington Post

“This has also shifted to Antwerp and ports such as Hook of Holland in the Netherlands because these ports are used less and subject to lesser controls,” Janssens said.

From Reuters

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands — The Hook of Holland, a stretch of land outside Rotterdam sliced by canals, functions in many ways like Britain’s backyard.

From Washington Post