hookup
/ˈhʊkˌʌp/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈhʊkˌʌp/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈhu̇k-ˌəp/ (ame, mw)
hookup — noun
- hookupsingular
- hookupsplural
1. a casual meeting arranged mainly so two people can have sex.
a casual meeting arranged mainly so two people can have sex.
The film treats every party hookup as something shallow and forgettable.
casual hookup, not a real relationship
Nellie said the vacation hookup meant nothing after they flew home.
The app promised friendship, but many users were looking for hookups.
Their awkward breakfast showed the hookup had not become a real relationship.
- fling
can last longer and may include some romance, not just one meeting
- one-night stand
more specific; usually exactly one sexual encounter
- casual encounter
more neutral and less slangy
- relationship
suggests an ongoing emotional bond rather than a brief sexual meeting
文法句型
casual hookup
party hookup
hookup with someone
用法筆記
Usually refers to a brief sexual meeting with no expectation of an ongoing relationship. In learner-friendly contexts, it often appears in talk about parties, holidays, or dating apps.
常見錯誤
2. a point or service that lets a place or device connect to power, phone, gas, wat
a point or service that lets a place or device connect to power, phone, gas, water, or internet lines.
Each RV space at the park comes with a water hookup.
water/electric hookup at a campsite
The new office still lacks an internet hookup in the back room.
Brian paid extra for a gas hookup beside the outdoor stove.
A loose phone hookup left the shop unable to take card payments.
- connection
broader and more general; not limited to utility or service links
- link
shorter and more general; often used for signal or data connections
- supply line
focuses on the line carrying water, gas, or another supply
- disconnection
the state of being cut off from a service or network
文法句型
water hookup
electric hookup
internet hookup
用法筆記
Common for campsite services, home installations, and communication lines. It names the available connection itself, not the whole set of equipment in a system.
3. a set of parts, especially wires or mechanical pieces, joined so they can do one
a set of parts, especially wires or mechanical pieces, joined so they can do one job.
The lab tested a simple hookup of wires and switches for the alarm.
hookup of wires and switches
Mei checked the motor hookup before closing the model car.
The repair guide shows the fuel-line hookup inside the engine case.
An old radio hookup lay in a box under the workbench.
- setup
more general; can describe a whole arrangement, not just connected parts
- configuration
more formal; often stresses how the parts are arranged
- assembly
focuses on the group of parts as a unit
- separation
the parts are apart rather than joined into one working arrangement
文法句型
wiring hookup
motor hookup
hookup of [parts]
用法筆記
Used mainly in technical contexts for the arrangement of connected parts. Distinguish from sense 2, which names access to a service such as power or the internet.
hookup — verb
- hookuppresent simple I / you / we / they
- hookups3rd person singular
- hookuping-ing form
- hookupedpast simple
1. to start working or spending time with someone because you now share an activity
to start working or spending time with someone because you now share an activity, interest, or goal.
Christopher hooked up with two classmates and started a design studio.
hook up with = start working together
After the workshop, Sora hooked up with local farmers to sell cheese.
The band hooked up with a new producer before recording the album.
Nila hooked up with a volunteer group after the flood in Tainan.
- team up
close in meaning; often emphasizes working together on a shared task
- join forces
more deliberate and often used for a practical goal
- link up
similar, but can sound slightly more formal or planned
- split up
to stop working or acting together
文法句型
hook up with [person/group]
hooked up with [person/group]
用法筆記
In running text, this verb usually appears as the two-word form 'hook up', 'hooked up', or 'hooking up'. In this sense it often takes 'with' before the person or group you join.
常見錯誤
2. to have sex with someone in a casual, non-committed way.
to have sex with someone in a casual, non-committed way.
Otis bragged that he hooked up with someone he met online.
informal: hook up with = have casual sex
After the concert, Defne and the drummer hooked up once.
The gossip spread when two cast members hooked up during filming.
Amihan regretted hooking up with her ex at the reunion.
- sleep together
more direct and slightly less slangy
- have a fling
can include romance as well as sex, and may last longer
- have a casual encounter
more neutral and less colloquial
- settle down
to begin a stable long-term relationship rather than a casual encounter
文法句型
hook up with [person]
hooked up with [person]
用法筆記
This sense is usually understood as sexual and casual, not as the start of a committed relationship. Context often makes the sexual meaning clear even when the speaker does not describe the details directly.
常見錯誤
3. to join one piece of equipment or one supply line to another so it can work.
to join one piece of equipment or one supply line to another so it can work.
Kofi hooked up the trailer before sunrise and drove to the farm.
hook up + direct object
The nurse hooked up the monitor to the patient in seconds.
hook up + device + to
Gabriel hooked up the printer, but the office Wi-Fi stayed down.
Dad hooked up a garden hose to the rain barrel.
- disconnect
to separate equipment or lines so they no longer work together
文法句型
hook up + [device/object]
hook up + [device/object] + to [system]
用法筆記
The headword is written as one word here, but the verb usually appears in text as 'hook up'. Use this sense for physically or electronically connecting something, not for starting a social relationship.