to get back to

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gZ2V0IGJhY2sgdG8&hash=c53955aa2e2b74ebba0da9414e671347e9b0d243&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

to [give] {sb} a ring

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gZ2l2ZSBzb21lYm9keSBhIHJpbmc&hash=0c00700ebdaf12b7011fe39d623d344a910bb979&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

to break up

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gYnJlYWsgdXA&hash=8226f8f1c21f33dbd729a5ca223f756fd8d462f3&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=US

to call back

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gY2FsbCBiYWNr&hash=c011b5bd34b7b24b27b409ca36c3b3d3a307fb69&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

to cut off

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gY3V0IG9mZg&hash=20a0c678069bbadd9721c3786fadcf9b7e9648cf&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

to get through

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gZ2V0IHRocm91Z2g&hash=0270d111f216708bad2b17e49fd9cb0e19e6bfb2&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

to hang on

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gaGFuZyBvbg&hash=daee759ab806e44d308e919cfbdacde4c64e56a1&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

to hang up

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gaGFuZyB1cA&hash=3591d796155a3cbc7b18496f1e02fc6ddc0522e7&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

The origin of the idiom "off the hook" can be traced back to the early days of telephone technology when phones had physical handsets connected by cords. When a phone was "off the hook," it meant that the handset was not resting in its cradle or hook, rendering it unable to receive incoming calls. The idiom has since been used to refer to the same concept.

What is the origin of the idiom "off the hook" and when to use it?

off the hook

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=b2ZmIHRoZSBob29r&hash=9d218d32363b3d021ad157e9ef0e56f225a2276e&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=US

to [put] {sb} on hold

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gcHV0IHNvbWVib2R5IG9uIGhvbGQ&hash=aa31f24a005330bcb7b52de3e6efed52c4ad0523&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

to put through

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gcHV0IHRocm91Z2g&hash=487bf6a00551222b81bdf6521c8b10ed9f1472a9&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

to ring back

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gcmluZyBiYWNr&hash=359fa0dc827f1a274ff3f0aa3af13952dd958924&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

to ring off

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gcmluZyBvZmY&hash=2314e38c26f571d9ba57e120a13f392fe156aff2&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

to speak up

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gc3BlYWsgdXA&hash=42c1845d67ad4a8c7d517742eba885b18afdde67&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts

to pass over

https://tts.langeek.co/read?text=dG8gcGFzcyBvdmVy&hash=10d3090d0f9ef9ba7950cda9ea2620571dbadea0&lang=en&cache-only=0&driver=googletts&accent=US

Telephoning & Direct Speech