Name: English Tutor Nick P Idioms (297) By Hook or By Crook
Uploaded: 2020-02-06T15:14:03.000Z
Duration: 3 min 41 s
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Hi this is Tutor Nick P and this is Idioms 297. The idiom today is by hook or by

crook. Okay. Let's take a look at the note here. If someone says that he or she will

do something by hook or by crook,  he or she means they will do it in any way

possible.  Either in a fair way or an unfair way, or

by legal or illegal means. It especially suggests that one is willing to cross

the line and do something illegal or immoral just to make sure that they can

get this thing because they want it that badly or they need to get it that badly.

So they'll do it by hook or by crook.  Either way they would  probably prefer to,

prefer to do it legally or you know, in a fair way but if they couldn't they have

no problem with doing it in the unfair way or the illegal way. All right. Let's

continue. There are a few theories about the origin but several are questionable.

Some of the others are questionable,  especially because the the dates are a

little late. You know I think the phrase was around before that time and there

was hardly anything to back them up.  So this one I think is probably the best

one. So let's let's continue here. The one that seems to be the most likely refers

back to a custom during the 1300s or 1400s in which commoners ...  you know like

when there's a king. The regular people referred to as commoners were allowed to

take deadwood from the Kings forest.  Technically , it was believed to be the

king ...  it was believed the King owed the forest. The whole forest including

the trees and anything in it.  the king was gracious enough you know,

generous,  enough nice enough,  to allow the peasants to take that wood for firewood.

So they take this wood that's already dead and they can use it to heat their

homes. Most peasants would pull down the wood with

a Reapers billhook. You know,  like the reaper you know the grim reaper. So like

one of those. Or a shepherd's crook. Yeah.  If you ever seen the old shepherd you

know,  yeah. He has kind of that staff That goes around and kind of curves. So they

might use either one of those two. Thus the term by hook or crook was born. So

either by the billhook or the shepherd's crook. Okay. And we just have a couple of

examples here. That political party is trying to find a way to take down the

president by hook or by crook. Yeah. If they could try to make it a legal way,

they'll do that. But if they can't  they have no problems crossing the line

and maybe doing it in an unfair or illegal way. Or again number two. That

host country for the Olympics wants to make sure they will win a large amount

of medals. Yeah.  Most countries that hold the Olympics,  they

want to do well because you know they're in front of their own people. So they

usually try harder to make sure that they get more medals that time than they

normally would. Either by hook or by crook. They are seriously training their

athletes. Maybe they're putting more money into it to compete but they are

also willing to bribe judges if necessary. So they're willing to do it by

hook or by crook. Okay. Anyway,  I hope you got it. I hope it was clear. Thank you for your