By Hook or By Crook
by hook or by crook - By any possible means. There is some disagreement as to the origin of this expression, which used to mean specifically by fair means or foul—that is, legal or illegal (crooked). One writer suggests it may come from the medieval custom authorizing one to help oneself to as much firewood as could be reached by a shepherd’s crook and cut down with a billhook. Others believe it simply uses rhyming words for “direct” (reachable with a long hook) and “indirect” (roundabout). In any event, it dates back to the time of the English theologian John Wycliffe, who used it in his Controversial Tracts (ca. 1380).
🔄 Similar Sayings
- “By any means necessary” – A term popularized by civil rights leader Malcolm X.
- “Come hell or high water” – No matter what happens; despite any obstacles.
- “Whatever it takes” – Sparing no effort to achieve a goal.
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📚 Suggested Reading & Multimedia
- Books: “The 48 Laws of Power” by Robert Greene, “Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…And Maybe the World” by Admiral William H. McRaven
- Songs: “Use Somebody” by Kings of Leon, “Never Give Up” by Sia
- Movies: “Rocky” (1976), “The Pursuit of Happyness” (2006)
Witty Anecdote Definition 💡:
“It’s not breaking and entering if you come wielding only a shepherd’s crook and an oversized billhook, right? Oh, the lengths we’ll go to for free firewood!”
Intriguing Explanation Corner 🕵️:
Did you know? John Wycliffe, an early advocate for the translation of the Bible into the vernacular, used this phrase around 1380. Imagine medieval peasants banding together with hooks and crooks, determined to jumpstart every fire in town—no fireplace left behind! 🔥
Remember, whether you’re tackling your day with a billhook or surmounting life’s hurdles with a shepherd’s crook, the essence lies in persistence. 🌟
“Determination unwrapped comes in the form of resolute yet variable methods. There is no height you cannot scale when all paths become open.” — Quinn Quibble, 2023-10-01
