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sinker
hook, line, and sinker.
Fig. totally. She fell for our story hook, line, and sinker. They believed every word hook, line, and sinker.
swallow something hook, line, and sinker
Fig. to believe something completely. (These terms refer to fishing and fooling a fish into being caught.) I made up a story about why I was so late. The boss swallowed it hook, line, and sinker. I feel like a fool. I swallowed her lies hook, line, and sinker.
hook, line, and sinker
completely
The public isn't swallowing the administration's policies hook, line, and sinker. They made up such a good story that we fell for it hook, line, and sinker. Usage notes: often used in the forms fall for something hook, line, and sinker or swallow something hook, line, and sinker (to be tricked into believing something without any doubts)
Etymology: based on the idea of a fish so hungry it swallows the hook (the part that catches the fish), the line ( the string) and the sinker (a weight attached to the line to keep it under water)
fall for somebody hook, line and sinker
to fall very much in love with someone I'd never seen such a good-looking bloke - I just fell for him hook, line and sinker.
fall for something hook, line and sinker
to completely believe something someone tells you which is not true I told him I needed the money for my baby, and he fell for it hook, line and sinker.
hook, line, and sinker
Without reservation, completely, as in He swallowed our excuse hook, line, and sinker. This expression, first recorded in 1865, alludes to a fish swallowing not only the baited hook but the leaden sinker and the entire fishing line between them.
hook, line, and sinker
mod. totally. They believed every word hook, line, and sinker.
sinker
n. a doughnut. All our sinkers are brought in fresh on Monday.
hook, line, and sinker
Informal Without reservation; completely: swallowed the excuse hook, line, and sinker.