APAD: By hook or by crook

Meaning:

 

If someone says they will do something by hook or by crook, they are determined

to do it, even if they have to make a great effort or use dishonest means.

 

Background:

 

A widely held theory is that it comes from the custom of allowing commoners to

take as much wood from royal forests as they could reach with a shepherd's crook

and cut down with a billhook.

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

While billhook has stayed a weapon and pruning tool, Shepherd's crook seems to

have found applications other than looking after sheep.

 

 

所有跟帖： 

• By hook or by crook, sounds familiar... -盈盈一笑间- ♀ (0 bytes) () 01/21/2024 postreply 09:13:32

• 造个句：we need to complete the task by hook or by crook. -盈盈一笑间- ♀ (0 bytes) () 01/21/2024 postreply 09:44:46

• Just wonder if the term is pejorative or positive. -盈盈一笑间- ♀ (0 bytes) () 01/21/2024 postreply 09:46:53

• A bit confused. Is the sentence I just made correct? -盈盈一笑间- ♀ (0 bytes) () 01/21/2024 postreply 09:48:30

• Of course. I believe. -7grizzly- ♀ (0 bytes) () 01/21/2024 postreply 09:55:28

• Either, depending on context. -7grizzly- ♀ (0 bytes) () 01/21/2024 postreply 09:55:53

• I see. thank U -盈盈一笑间- ♀ (0 bytes) () 01/21/2024 postreply 10:00:25

• A man's got to do what a man's got to do? -7grizzly- ♀ (0 bytes) () 01/21/2024 postreply 09:56:44

• is it your own graden? beautiful! I love those beans as -最西边的岛上- ♀ (0 bytes) () 01/21/2024 postreply 09:28:21

• they provide good harvest by hook or by crook ;) -最西边的岛上- ♀ (0 bytes) () 01/21/2024 postreply 09:33:26

• I wish :-) It was an ad from some home improvement shop -7grizzly- ♀ (0 bytes) () 01/21/2024 postreply 09:57:28

• by fair and foul. Tks for introducing the origin of it! -暖冬cool夏- ♀ (0 bytes) () 01/21/2024 postreply 09:40:04

• Thank you for reading. Did you mean "by fair or foul"? -7grizzly- ♀ (0 bytes) () 01/21/2024 postreply 09:59:40

• Right, by fair or foul:) Thanks,my friend! -暖冬cool夏- ♀ (0 bytes) () 01/21/2024 postreply 10:10:35

• Thank YOU! It's new to me. -7grizzly- ♀ (0 bytes) () 01/21/2024 postreply 10:15:13

• A crook is a bad person. If doing something nobly, -唐宋韵- ♂ (0 bytes) () 01/21/2024 postreply 10:31:03

• can we still say do it by hook or by crook? -唐宋韵- ♂ (0 bytes) () 01/21/2024 postreply 10:32:07

• 好像有点儿不择手段了。 -唐宋韵- ♂ (0 bytes) () 01/21/2024 postreply 10:33:06

• Some believe the end justifies the means. -7grizzly- ♀ (0 bytes) () 01/21/2024 postreply 10:35:59

• I think so. The 'crook' here refers to "shepherd's crook." -7grizzly- ♀ (0 bytes) () 01/21/2024 postreply 10:34:27

• Thanks. -唐宋韵- ♂ (0 bytes) () 01/21/2024 postreply 10:42:21

• I'll shovel the snow on the sidewalk by hook or by crook -godog- ♂ (0 bytes) () 01/21/2024 postreply 12:17:44

• For snow, I'd rather go by blower or by plower :-) -7grizzly- ♀ (0 bytes) () 01/21/2024 postreply 12:34:17

• 恩维并施，拉着骗着，也得要做 -移花接木- ♂ (0 bytes) () 01/21/2024 postreply 12:56:27

• 直教人生死相许 :-) -7grizzly- ♀ (0 bytes) () 01/21/2024 postreply 13:06:15

• 这句接得太有喜感了。不厚道地看笑了。哈哈。 -盈盈一笑间- ♀ (167 bytes) () 01/21/2024 postreply 13:29:12

• 就是要这个效果。越不厚道越好。:-))) -7grizzly- ♀ (0 bytes) () 01/21/2024 postreply 13:31:46

• by all means -妖妖灵- ♀ (0 bytes) () 01/21/2024 postreply 13:08:24

• absolutely! -7grizzly- ♀ (0 bytes) () 01/21/2024 postreply 13:28:31

• 短小精悍，有图有真相，幽默风趣的APAD，赞！ -CBA7- ♀ (0 bytes) () 01/22/2024 postreply 07:52:41

• Thank you! -7grizzly- ♂ (0 bytes) () 01/22/2024 postreply 10:29:42