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
time. Bye-bye.