Definition of in hock in English:
in hock
phrase
1 informal Having been pawned.
- ‘the family jewels are in hock already’
- ‘Worse: rather than being self-denying while you retrain for more lucrative employment, should you put the contents of your workshop in hock and live it up at the nearest Ritz-Carlton?’
- ‘In Washington, antiques, glasses and brassbound telescopes that had been in hock for decades are being snapped up by a rush of buyers.’
- ‘But, unlike pawnshops in most countries, the real business is a steady stream of people putting their homes in hock.’
- 1.1In debt.‘the company is in hock to the banks’
- ‘In other words they are in hock to the government, who control their spending.’
- ‘Because it doesn't depend on heavy machinery, this farm, unlike most, isn't in hock to the bank’.’
- ‘The women were in hock to extortionate moneylenders.’
- ‘Millions of the less well-off are in hock to money lenders because banks won't handle their affairs since the profit margin involved isn't big enough.’
- ‘Our most fertile citizens are constantly in hock to student loans and hired on contract rather than a full-time position.’
- ‘Wouldn't there be a danger of the hospital getting itself in hock to the private sector?’
- ‘Irrespective of who is elected they will be in hock to their contributors.’
- ‘That story had a happier ending than many closer to home where families get in hock to the tune of thousands of euro.’
- ‘There is evidence that some will even get in hock with illegal money lenders, which can have truly disastrous consequences.’
- ‘‘I'm always in hock, because of the investment of time, energy, and money,’ she said to me.’
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