1872. M. E. Braddon, Dead Sea Fruit, ch. iv. ‘S’pose the odds are against Jerningham going off the hooks between this and the first spring-meeting, so as to give a party a chance with Mrs. J. herself,’ speculates young Belgravia, dreamily.
1880. Greenwood, Odd People in Odd Places, p. 37. I thought, to be sure, I was going off the hooks, and it was no use talking about it.
1890. Grant Allen, Tents of Shem, ch. xii. The old man has popped off the hooks this afternoon at Aix.
2. (colloquial).—To get married.
1876. M. E. Braddon, Joshua Haggard, ch. x. Some of the young chaps will be wanting her to get married. These here pretty ones go off the hooks so soon.
To hook on to, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To attach oneself to; to buttonhole (q.v.); to follow up.
1892. Milliken, ’Arry Ballads, p. 4. It’s nuts to ’ook on to a swell.
On one’s own hook, adv. phr. (colloquial).—On one’s own account, risk, or responsibility; for one’s own sake; dependent on one’s own resources or exertions.
1847. Robb, Squatter Life, p. 23. The signal was given, and in poured the subscribers to the dinner, with their guest, and in poured John on his own hook.
1849. Thackeray, Pendennis, ch. lxix. Do we come out as Liberal Conservative, or as Government man, or on our own hook?