bent as a butcher's hook
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Synonym of bent as a nine-bob note (“very dishonest or corrupt”).
Register: slang
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “bent as a butcher's hook” mean?
Synonym of bent as a nine-bob note (“very dishonest or corrupt”).
Is “bent as a butcher's hook” formal or informal?
bent as a butcher's hook is generally slang.