drop off the hooks

drop off the hooks

obsolete To perish or die. If the Duke should drop off the hooks before his will is revised, the estate would pass to his eldest son instead of me. And who, pray tell, will provide for you once I've dropped off the hooks?
See also: drop, hook, off
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • go off the hooks
  • off the hooks
  • perish
  • perish from
  • perish from (something)
  • pass in your ally
  • die off
  • perish in
  • perish in (something)
  • die by (something)
References in periodicals archive
"Actually, when I first was notified of the award I went into a funk," Guillermoprieto wrote, "because, as is well-known, lifetime achievement awards are generally given to people who are about to drop off the hooks. But [Nieman Foundation curator] Bob Giles [NF '66] saved the day by sending kind congratulations with the caveat that a mistake had been made, and I'd gotten the award much too soon!
Alma Guillermoprieto