ɡɛt ˈsʌmwʌn ɒf ðə hʊk
General
informal
intermediate
- Literally:
- To remove someone from a fishing hook
What does "get someone off the hook" mean?
- To help someone avoid blame, punishment, or an obligation
- To free someone from a difficult situation
Examples
- His alibi got him off the hook for the crime.
- I'm not going to get you off the hook this time—you need to take responsibility.
- Her friend's testimony got her off the hook.
Origin
From fishing terminology—removing a fish from a hook to let it go free. Applied figuratively to releasing someone from responsibility.
How to use it
Often implies avoiding deserved consequences. Can be positive (genuine exoneration) or negative (escaping responsibility).
Similar expressions
exonerate
excuse
let off
free from blame
Opposites
hold accountable
blame
implicate
Related idioms
- actions speak louder than words
What people do is more important than what they say
- better safe than sorry
It's better to be careful and prevent problems than to take risks
- so far so good
Things have gone well up to now
- easier said than done
Something is more difficult to do than to talk about
- make a long story short
To summarize or get to the point
- to make matters worse
In addition to existing problems
Use it in a practice answer
Try "get someone off the hook" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.