crooked as a barrel of fish hooks
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Very unscrupulous and deceptive.
Register: derogatory, informal
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
But Father said this man was as crooked as a barrel of fish hooks. He never went near him if he could help it.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “crooked as a barrel of fish hooks” mean?
Very unscrupulous and deceptive.
Is “crooked as a barrel of fish hooks” formal or informal?
crooked as a barrel of fish hooks is generally derogatory, informal.