hooker

1. (rugby) A player who hooks the ball out of the scrum with his foot.Examples: "Hooker Dylan Hartley was sent to the sin-bin after yet another infringement at the breakdown and, on the stroke of half-time, Georgia's territorial advantage finally told when number eight Basilaia surged over from the base of the scrum for a try next to the posts."

2. (cricket) A batsman or batswoman adept at or fond of playing hook shots.Examples: "I once saw Hassett drop England opening batsman and compulsive hooker, Cyril Washbrook, twice in succession at deep fine leg."

3. (informal, dated) Synonym of hook (“attention-grabbing element of a creative work”).Examples: "We regard the first seven seconds of a television commercial as the most critical or crucial in the whole unit — the "Do or Die Seven" — the "moment of decision" or the "hooker", if you will, when we must capture the attention of the viewer, get him involved in the action, […]"Synonyms: hookdatedinformal

4. (archaic, thieves' cant) A thief who uses a pole with a hook on the end to steal goods.Examples: "They are sure to be clyd in the night by the angler, or hooker, or such like pilferers that liue upon the spoyle of other poore people."; "Suffer none, from far or near, / With their rights to interfere; / No strange Abram, Ruffler crack— / Hooker of another pack—"Synonyms: angler, nuthookarchaic