Play me!
Hi! Welcome back word nerds, this is Kerin from English Digital Academy!
I’ve got a brand-new post of Grow Your Vocab for those of you keen to level up your advanced English. In each post, we dive into one useful word or expression and you’ll get a clear definition, real-life examples, and a chance to try it out for yourself in the comments.
You can also download the lesson notes for this post to help you learn.
Today’s expression? To be off the hook.
Recently, this expression popped up several times in a passage from a Nick Hornby novel we were reading in my Book Lab English course. It puzzled my group of students, so we took a closer look at what it meant. And as often happens, once we’d talked about it, I started hearing it everywhere: in TV shows, podcasts, and, of course, other books I’m reading. It turns out it’s a pretty high-frequency idiom, and I thought it would be a great one to share here.
Off the hook essentially means: no longer in difficulty or trouble—but how do we actually use it?
Let’s break it down:
What does it mean to be off the hook?
If you’re off the hook, it means you’re no longer in trouble, or no longer responsible for something difficult or unpleasant. Think of it like escaping a tough situation or getting out of a commitment, sometimes by luck, sometimes with help, and sometimes because someone else takes your place.
Ready to see it in action? Let’s look at some common scenarios:
1. Escaping blame
🗣️“At first, everyone thought Ava had broken the vase, but when the security footage came out, she was off the hook.”
➡️ Ava was no longer blamed once the truth was revealed.
2. Avoiding a task
🗣️ “I was supposed to host the meeting, but since Paul volunteered last minute, I’m off the hook!”
➡️ Someone else took on the responsibility, so you’re free.
3. Avoiding being in trouble
🗣️ “The teacher was going to give him detention, but after he explained the situation, she let him off the hook.”
🗣️ “I lied to get him off the hook.”
➡️ He was spared punishment after a good explanation.
4. Cancelled plans
🗣️ “I didn’t really fancy going to the dinner party, so when Steve called to cancel, I felt totally off the hook.”
➡️ In this example, plans changed, and you’re relieved to be free of the obligation.
5. Emotional relief
🗣️ “She felt off the hook after apologising. It had been weighing on her for days.”
➡️ Getting something off your chest can make you feel emotionally free.
Activate!
Now it’s your turn!
- Can you think of a time when you were off the hook for something?
- What’s the difference between being off the hook and simply getting lucky?
- Have you ever let someone else off the hook?
Drop your examples and thoughts in the comments 👇—I’d love to read them!
Don’t forget to download the lesson notes!
The lesson notes are a free resource to help you learn. The notes include a summary of this lesson and a glossary of key words from this week’s post.
Ps. Want to improve your English and move towards English proficiency? Discover all my courses here
Sometimes, my colleagues ask me to substitute for them, but I feel off the hook when they say there is no need anymore.
Great example Dina 👍
Thank You Kerin,
these extra issues are really high level,very useful.
I am going to print this last one,it is not easy to find such explanations otherwise.
Patrizia
Thank you Patrizia! Good idea to print out the lesson notes 📝
I often let my colleagues off the hook by volonteering to do the written report for our boring school meeting, something everyone tries to avoid (worse than pupils).If nobody had done it the headmaster would have become angry and we all would have stayed longer.
Love this, great example!