Definition of "hooker"

In England there are Brighton Beach boats, Centre-board sloops, Pollywogs, Lough Erne yachts, Unas, New Brighton sailing-boats, yachts of the Norfolk Broads, Itchen, Clyde sailing and Keystone boats, Penzance luggers, Cobbles, Galways, Hookers and Pookhauns […]

1884, James Douglas Jerrold Kelley, American Yachts: Their Clubs and Races, page 161

[T]he poor Flash is gone, and there is an end of it. Poor old hooker. Hey, Almayer? You made a voyage or two with me. Wasn’t she a sweet craft?

1896, Joseph Conrad, chapter II, in An Outcast of the Islands, London: T. Fisher Unwin […], part III, pages 182–183

[…] for there was scarce one of us that thought the old hooker would weather so long and hard a blow. We were mighty fortunate to come through it so handily.

1914, Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Mucker‎, All-Story Cavalier Weekly

Hooker Dylan Hartley was sent to the sin-bin after yet another infringement at the breakdown and, on the stroke of half-time, Georgia's territorial advantage finally told when number eight Basilaia surged over from the base of the scrum for a try next to the posts.

2011 September 18, Ben Dirs, “Rugby World Cup 2011: England 41-10 Georgia”, in BBC Sport‎

I once saw Hassett drop England opening batsman and compulsive hooker, Cyril Washbrook, twice in succession at deep fine leg.

1990, Ashes: Battles and Bellylaughs, Byron Bay: Swan Publishing, page 32

We regard the first seven seconds of a television commercial as the most critical or crucial in the whole unit — the "Do or Die Seven" — the "moment of decision" or the "hooker", if you will, when we must capture the attention of the viewer, get him involved in the action, […]

1966, Charles Anthony Wainwright, The Television Copywriter, page 39

They are sure to be clyd in the night by the angler, or hooker, or such like pilferers that liue upon the spoyle of other poore people.

c. 1608–1610, Samuel Rid, Martin Mark-all, Beadle of Bridewell

Suffer none, from far or near, / With their rights to interfere; / No strange Abram, Ruffler crack— / Hooker of another pack—

1834, William Harrison Ainsworth, Rookwood‎, volume 2, Oath of the Canting Crew, page 339

Emily had cut short these 3 A.M. glooms with a hooker of bourbon.

1993, Herman Wouk, The Hope (novel), page 675