IdiomDaily Life
English
Englishget one's hooks into
Meaning: To get a firm hold or control over something or someone.
Example: “Once the casino got its hooks into him, he lost everything.”
Origin: Like a fishhook or grappling hook that is hard to shake off. "Hooks" for hands or clutches is slang from the 19th century.
Equivalents in other languages
French: Mettre le grappin sur quelque chose Literally: To put the grappling hook on something
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- a low blow An unfair or cruel attack.
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- for donkey's years For a very long time.
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