Hook Line and Sinker: Meaning and Definitions
- The phrase “hook, line, and sinker” is used to express complete and unquestioning belief in or acceptance of something.
- It often suggests that someone has been completely deceived or tricked into believing something.
- This idiom implies total commitment or unreserved involvement in something.
- It might be used to indicate a situation where someone has fallen for a trick or deception entirely.
- Furthermore, it may suggest a state of being entirely convinced or persuaded by something.
Hook Line and Sinker Synonyms
- Completely fooled
- Swallowed whole
- Fully taken in
Example Sentences
- He fell for her story hook, line, and sinker, never doubting her sincerity.
- The con artist’s victims bought his scam hook, line, and sinker.
- She believed his lies hook, line, and sinker.
- The crowd swallowed his speech hook, line, and sinker, fully supporting his cause.
- The children took his ghost stories hook, line, and sinker, getting thoroughly scared.
The Origins and Etymology of Hook, Line, and Sinker
The phrase “hook, line, and sinker” originates from angling, where a fish that takes the bait so greedily that it swallows the hook, the line, and the sinker is well and truly caught.
It has been used figuratively since the late 19th century.
You can read more about it on Wiktionary.
