By hook or by crook

A very old expression dates from the 14th century. Misguidedly, it has come to mean by fair means or foul because the word crook is mistakenly associated with crooked as in criminal or underhand. The expression is first mentioned in the works of John Wycliffe c. 1380 and Spenser uses it in The Faerie Queene (1590-96). The most plausible origin is based on the amount of dead firewood a woodcutter can pull down from the trees with either a billhook or a shepherd’s crook. Most of the forests and woodlands in England were owned by royalty or noble families. This concession of by hook or by crook was granted to woodcutters as a special perk. As mentioned, the ‘crook’ part has been misinterpreted in its current meaning and usage.