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Off the hooks

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podmm | 23:25 Sat 09th Oct 2004 | Phrases & Sayings
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Where i live if you're ill you're said to be "off the hooks". Does anyone know where it comes from?
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Avatar Image Lardybloke
I would hazard a guess that it relates to the butchery trade, if meat was "off" it would be taken off the meat hooks in the window. It's only a guess mind.
18:16 Tue 12th Oct 2004
Avatar Image Marsh
The phrase has been around since the 1600's. The hooks referred to are the hinges of a gate, presumably the sort with rods sticking up for the gate to drop onto. "Unhinged" uses the same idea for a badly functioning mind.
00:17 Thu 14th Oct 2004

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