1. Home
2. Idioms
3. let (someone) off the hook

let (someone) off the hook

---

---

let (someone) off the hook

To pardon, release, or allow someone to escape from blame, responsibility, obligation, or difficulty. At first, Sam was suspected of stealing money from the safe, but he was let off the hook after security camera footage showed it was someone else. I was meant to spend the weekend cleaning out the garage, but my wife let me off the hook so I could go on the big fishing trip with my buddies.

See also: hook, let, off