skyhook

American

[skahy-hook] / ˈskaɪˌhʊk /

noun

a fanciful hook imagined to be suspended in the air.
any of various lifting devices, as one hung from a helicopter, designed to lift heavy loads to distances beyond the reach of a jib crane.
a high, arching hook shot in basketball.

Etymology

Origin of skyhook

First recorded in 1910–15; sky + hook ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

There was the raised fist that was once a signal for Magic to pass to Kareem for a skyhook.

From Los Angeles Times

The answer was the “skyhook”: Balloons lifted a tether attached to a harness worn by an agent high into the sky.

From Los Angeles Times

On April 5, 1984, he took a pass from Johnson and sank his signature skyhook against the Utah Jazz to surpass Wilt Chamberlain’s career total of 31,419 points.

From Washington Post

His skyhook offloads and change of pace have added another dimension to Saracens' game this season as the Premiership leaders show more ambition and adventure with ball in hand.

From BBC

In their first game together, Kareem won it on a skyhook in the final seconds.

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023