phrase

• 1 informal Having been pawned.

  More example sentences

  • ‘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. 1.1In debt.
     ‘the company is in hock to the banks’
     More example sentences

     • ‘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.’