A hook is a

tool A tool is an Physical object, object that can extend an individual's ability to modify features of the surrounding environment or help them accomplish a particular task. Although many Tool use by animals, animals use simple tools, only human bei ...

consisting of a length of material, typically

metal A metal () is a material that, when polished or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electrical resistivity and conductivity, electricity and thermal conductivity, heat relatively well. These properties are all associated wit ...

, that contains a portion that is curved/bent back or has a deeply grooved indentation, which serves to grab, latch or in any way attach itself onto another object. The hook's design allows traction forces to be relayed through the curved/indented portion to and from the proximal end of the hook, which is either a straight shaft (known as the hook's ''shank'') or a ring (sometimes called the hook's "''eye''") for attachment to a thread,

rope A rope is a group of yarns, Plying, plies, fibres, or strands that are plying, twisted or braided together into a larger and stronger form. Ropes have high tensile strength and can be used for dragging and lifting. Rope is thicker and stronger ...

chain A chain is a serial assembly of connected pieces, called links, typically made of metal, with an overall character similar to that of a rope in that it is flexible and curved in compression but linear, rigid, and load-bearing in tension. A ...

, providing a reversible attachment between two objects. In many cases, the distal end of the hook is sharply pointed to enable penetration into the target material, providing a firmer anchorage. Some hooks, particularly

fish hook A fish hook or fishhook, formerly also called an angle (from Old English ''angol'' and Proto-Germanic ''*angulaz''), is a hook used to catch fish either by piercing and embedding onto the inside of the fish mouth (angling) or, more rarely, by i ...

s, also have a ''barb'', a backwards-pointed projection near the pointed end that functions as a secondary "mini-hook" to catch and trap surrounding material, ensuring that the hook point cannot be easily pulled back out once embedded in the target.

Variations

* Bagging hook, a large sickle or reaping hook used for harvesting grain * Bondage hook, used in sexual bondage play * Cabin hook, a hooked bar that engages into an eye screw, used on doors *

Cap hook A cap hook is a decorative hat ornament fashionable from the Late Middle Ages through the Tudor period, used to pin up or decorate men's hat brims. Cap hooks were made of gold, silver, or silver-gilt base metal, and might be decorated with jewe ...

, hat ornament of the 15th and 16th centuries * Cargo hook, different types of hook systems for helicopters * Clothes hook or "coat hook", hooks for storing garments, typically mounted on walls or vertical surfaces *

Crochet hook A crochet hook (or crochet needle) is an implement used to make loops in thread or yarn and to interlock them into crochet stitches. It is a round shaft pointed on one end, with a lateral groove behind it. The point eases the insertion of the hoo ...

, used for crocheting thread or yarn * Drapery hook, for hanging drapery *

Dress hook A dress hook is a decorative clothing accessory of the medieval and Tudor periods used to fasten outer garments or to drape up skirts. Made of base metal or precious silver and silver-gilt, dress hooks are documented in wills and inventories ...

, fashion accessory * Ear hook, to attach earrings *

Fish hook A fish hook or fishhook, formerly also called an angle (from Old English ''angol'' and Proto-Germanic ''*angulaz''), is a hook used to catch fish either by piercing and embedding onto the inside of the fish mouth (angling) or, more rarely, by i ...

, used to catch fish * Flesh-hook, used in cooking meat *

Grappling hook A grappling hook or grapnel is a device that typically has multiple hooks (known as ''claws'' or ''flukes'') attached to a rope or cable; it is thrown, dropped, sunk, projected, or fastened directly by hand to where at least one hook may cat ...

, a hook attached to a rope, designed to be thrown and snagged on a target * Hook and chain coupler, mechanical part for the coupling for railway vehicles *

Hook (hand tool) A hook is a hand tool used for securing and moving loads. It consists of a round wooden handle with a strong metal hook about long projecting at a right angle from the center of the handle. The appliance is held in a closed fist with the hook p ...

, also known as longshoreman's hook and bale hook, a tool used for securing and moving loads *

Hook-and-eye closure A hook-and-eye closure is a simple and secure method of fastening garments together. It consists of a metal hook, commonly wire bent to shape, and an eye (or "eyelet") of the same material into which the hook fits. History 1898 Richardson & ...

, a clothing fastener *

Hook-and-loop fastener Hook-and-loop fasteners, commonly known as Velcro (a Generic trademark, genericized trademark), hook-and-pile fasteners or touch fasteners are versatile fastening devices that allow two surfaces to be repeatedly attached and detached with ease ...

, a type of textile fastener * Hook hand, also called

prosthesis In medicine, a prosthesis (: prostheses; from ), or a prosthetic implant, is an artificial device that replaces a missing body part, which may be lost through physical trauma, disease, or a condition present at birth (Congenital, congenital disord ...

, an artificial hand replacement made from a hook *

Lifting hook A lifting hook is a device for grabbing and lifting loads by means of a device such as a Hoist (device), hoist or crane (machine), crane. A lifting hook is usually equipped with a safety latch to prevent the disengagement of the lifting wire rope ...

, for grabbing and lifting loads *

Mail hook ] A catcher pouch is a mail bag that can be used in conjunction with a mail hook to "catch" mail awaiting pickup from a moving train. Catcher pouches were most often used by railway post offices in the nineteenth century and the early twentieth ...

, for grabbing mail bags without stopping a train *

Meat hook A meat hook is any hook normally used in butcheries to hang meat. This form of hook is a variation on the classic S hook. Types *An S-shaped hook or jointed hook is used to hang up meat or the carcasses of animals such as pigs and cattle ...

, for hanging up meat or carcasses of animals in butcheries and meat industry *

Prosthetic hook In medicine, a prosthesis (: prostheses; from ), or a prosthetic implant, is an artificial device that replaces a missing body part, which may be lost through physical trauma, disease, or a condition present at birth (Congenital, congenital disord ...

or transradial prosthesis, part of a prosthetic arm for amputees *

Purse hook A purse hook (also known as a handbag hook or handbag hanger) is a type of hook meant to temporarily secure a Coin purse, purse or handbag to a table, sink or armrest. Such hooks have been available since the 1920s. Elizabeth II of the United Kin ...

, used to keep a woman's purse from touching the floor *

Shaker peg Shaker or Shakers may refer to: Religious groups * Shakers, a historically significant Christian sect * Indian Shakers, a smaller Christian denomination Objects and instruments * Shaker (musical instrument), an indirect struck idiophone * Cock ...

, used to hang up garments, bags, chairs, etc on a vertical surface * Shepherd's hook, a staff used in herding sheep or other animals *

Siege hook A siege hook is a weapon used to pull stones from a wall during a siege. The method used was to penetrate the protective wall with the hook and then retract it, pulling away some of the wall with it. The Greek historian Polybius Polybius ...

, an Ancient Roman weapon used to pull stones from a wall during a siege *

Tailhook A tailhook, arresting hook, or arrester hook is a device attached to the empennage (rear) of some military fixed-wing aircraft. The hook is used to achieve rapid deceleration during routine landings aboard aircraft carrier flight decks at sea, ...

, used by aircraft to snag cables in order to slow down more quickly

Gallery

File:Door hook.jpg, A cabin hook used as a

latch A latch or catch (called sneck in Northern England and Scotland) is a type of mechanical fastener that joins two or more objects or surfaces while allowing for their regular separation. A latch typically engages another piece of hardware on the ...

for a wooden

gate A gate or gateway is a point of entry to or from a space enclosed by walls. The word is derived from Proto-Germanic language, Proto-Germanic ''*gatan'', meaning an opening or passageway. Synonyms include yett (which comes from the same root w ...

File:FishHooks.JPG,

s are pointed and often barbed to help catch and tether a fish's mouth File:Imperial Japanese Navy Battleship Hiei main anchor at JMSDF Kanoya Naval Air Base Museum April 29, 2017 02.jpg, The main

anchor An anchor is a device, normally made of metal, used to secure a vessel to the bed of a body of water to prevent the craft from drifting due to wind or current. The word derives from Latin ', which itself comes from the Greek (). Anch ...

of IJN battleship ''Hiei'' with the classic double-hook design File:HK Sheung Wan 衣架 Clothes hangers by plastic in red June-2012.JPG,

Clothes hanger A clothes hanger, coat hanger, or coathanger, or simply a hanger, is a hanging device in the shape/contour of: * Human shoulders designed to facilitate the hanging of a coat, jacket, sweater, shirt, blouse or dress in a manner that prevents ...

s with a top hook to hang onto a crossbar or a

clothesline A clothes line, also spelled clothesline, also known as a wash line, is a device for hanging clothes on for the purpose of drying or airing out the articles. It is made of any type of rope, cord, wire, or twine that has been stretched betwe ...

File:Shaker Peg.jpg, Installation of a Shaker peg File:Kaginawa.JPG, A

grappling hook A grappling hook or grapnel is a device that typically has multiple hooks (known as ''claws'' or ''flukes'') attached to a rope or cable; it is thrown, dropped, sunk, projected, or fastened directly by hand to where at least one hook may cat ...

with multiple hooks to increase the chances of catching and anchoring onto a surface or an object File:Grøn struk (8875448182).jpg, A

crochet hook A crochet hook (or crochet needle) is an implement used to make loops in thread or yarn and to interlock them into crochet stitches. It is a round shaft pointed on one end, with a lateral groove behind it. The point eases the insertion of the hoo ...

with a deep hooking groove near the tip, used to pull

yarn Yarn is a long continuous length of interlocked fibres, used in sewing, crocheting, knitting, weaving, embroidery, ropemaking, and the production of textiles. '' Thread'' is a type of yarn intended for sewing by hand or machine. Modern ...

s during

embroidery Embroidery is the art of decorating Textile, fabric or other materials using a Sewing needle, needle to stitch Yarn, thread or yarn. It is one of the oldest forms of Textile arts, textile art, with origins dating back thousands of years across ...

File:Hook and eye clasp.JPG, A hook-and-eye clasp is composed of two pieces that are sewn to

clothing Clothing (also known as clothes, garments, dress, apparel, or attire) is any item worn on a human human body, body. Typically, clothing is made of fabrics or textiles, but over time it has included garments made from animal skin and other thin s ...

, one of which serves as a hook while the other as a staple File:Jäppilä.vaakuna.svg, upGolden pothook pictured in the coat of arms of

Jäppilä Jäppilä () is a former municipality of Finland. On 1 January 2004, it was merged to Pieksämäen maalaiskunta and Virtasalmi to form the new municipality of Pieksänmaa, which merged with the town of Pieksämäki in 2007. The village of Jäpp ...

References

{{reflist Tools Ironmongery