[Idiom] OFF THE HOOK. - Escape From Blame: Finding Relief from Responsibility
Off the hook.
/ɒf ðə hʊk/
No longer in difficulty or blame.
Off the hook" is an idiom used to describe being released from a difficult situation or escaping blame or responsibility. Originally related to fishing, where a fish manages to free itself from the hook, this phrase now refers to any scenario where an individual or group avoids consequences or an undesirable obligation, offering a sense of relief and freedom.
Example Sentences
You're off the hook now.
The first sample implies that someone is no longer under obligation or in trouble.
The boss let him off the hook for the mistake.
The second sample tells us that an individual was excused from blame by their superior.
After the evidence was reviewed, she was finally off the hook and could relax.
The third sample relates that after review, someone was cleared of responsibility or blame and thus could stop worrying.