Off the hook

From Fresh Dictionary

English

Prepositional phrase

off the hook, or off tha hook

1. ((idiomatic{{#if:|, {{{2}}}{{#if:|, {{{3}}}{{#if:|, {{{4}}}{{#if:|, {{{5}}}{{#if:|, {{{6}}}{{#if:|, {{{7}}}{{#if:|, {{{8}}}{{#if:|, {{{9}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}})) relieved of a duty, responsibility, or pressure

   When the boss assigned the project to Tom, the rest of us were relieved to be off the hook.

2. ((idiomatic{{#if:|, {{{2}}}{{#if:|, {{{3}}}{{#if:|, {{{4}}}{{#if:|, {{{5}}}{{#if:|, {{{6}}}{{#if:|, {{{7}}}{{#if:|, {{{8}}}{{#if:|, {{{9}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}})) no longer suspected of a crime or other wrongdoing

   Without any evidence, the police had to let the suspect off the hook.

3. ((sports{{#if:|, {{{2}}}}}{{#if:|, {{{3}}}}}{{#if:|, {{{4}}}}}{{#if:|, {{{5}}}}}{{#if:|, {{{6}}}}}{{#if:|, {{{7}}}}}{{#if:|, {{{8}}}}}{{#if:|, {{{9}}}}}{{#if:|, {{{2}}}{{#if:|, {{{3}}}{{#if:|, {{{4}}}{{#if:|, {{{5}}}{{#if:|, {{{6}}}{{#if:|, {{{7}}}{{#if:|, {{{8}}}{{#if:|, {{{9}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}})){{#if:|[[Category: {{{2}}}]]}}{{#if:|[[Category: {{{3}}}]]}}{{#if:|[[Category: {{{4}}}]]}}{{#if:|[[Category: {{{5}}}]]}}{{#if:|[[Category: {{{6}}}]]}}{{#if:|[[Category: {{{7}}}]]}}{{#if:|[[Category: {{{8}}}]]}}{{#if:|[[Category: {{{9}}}]]}} Performing extraordinarily well.

   That's five three-pointers in a row! Smith is off the hook!

4. ((idiomatic{{#if:|, {{{2}}}{{#if:|, {{{3}}}{{#if:|, {{{4}}}{{#if:|, {{{5}}}{{#if:|, {{{6}}}{{#if:|, {{{7}}}{{#if:|, {{{8}}}{{#if:|, {{{9}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}})) Of a telephone, having an open connection; not hung up.

   I think he left the phone off the hook so that nobody would call him.

See also

• ring off the hook