proverb · Words worth keeping
By hook or by crook.
By hook or by crook.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The phrase presents hook or crook as alternative means of reaching an aim. It expresses determination to find some way to succeed.
What the words are saying
The compressed alternatives leave the actual means unspecified. A critical reading can examine determination without taking it as permission to deceive or disregard others. The supplied gloss does not identify a method or a historical origin, and neither is invented here.
Everyday example
A reader asks whether a proposed way of reaching an aim is acceptable instead of treating the aim as justification.
When to use it
Use it to discuss determination while keeping means open to scrutiny.
What it does not mean
A desired result does not justify every possible means.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- Contributor-provided proverb reference
Supplied reference A; unit 412; PDF page 61
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.