“ring off the hook”的词源根植于传统固定电话的机械结构与使用场景。20世纪初，固定电话的听筒需架在“挂钩”（hook）上才能切断电路；若听筒未挂好（off the hook），电话线路处于接通状态，外界来电时铃声会持续响起，无法自动停止。人们借这一具象场景，将“铃声因听筒未挂而不停响”的状态，延伸为“电话铃声频繁响起、响个不停”的核心语义。随着通信技术发展，其含义进一步扩展，可泛指“收到大量的电话、信息或请求，应接不暇”，但核心始终围绕“‘呼叫/联系’的频率极高，超出正常处理范围”。

其核心语义包含两层关键：

一是“频率性”——并非单次或几次呼叫，而是“持续、密集的高频呼叫”；

二是“被动性”——主语多为“电话（phone/telephone）”或“设备（line）”，体现“被频繁呼叫”的被动状态，少数情况下可用于主动描述“某人接到大量电话”（如She’s been getting calls ringing off the hook）。

请看精彩例句：

After the concert, the singer’s phone rang off the hook with interview requests from newspapers and TV stations.

演唱会结束后，这位歌手的电话因报纸和电视台的采访请求响个不停。

He asked her out on a date, and the next day his phone rang off the hook—she’d texted all her friends, and they were all calling to tease him.

他约她出去约会，第二天他的电话就响个不停——她把这事告诉了所有朋友，大家都打电话来调侃他。

The school’s phone rang off the hook after parents heard about the student safety incident.

家长们得知学生安全事件后，学校的电话响个不停。

On their wedding anniversary, their home phone rang off the hook—relatives and friends from all over the country were calling to send congratulations.

结婚纪念日那天，他们家的电话响个不停——全国各地的亲友都打电话来送祝福。

The military base’s communication line rang off the hook when the nearby area was hit by a storm.

附近地区遭遇暴雨时，军事基地的通信线路响个不停。

The politician’s office phone rang off the hook after he announced his new policy on healthcare.

这位政客宣布新的医疗政策后，办公室的电话响个不停。

She confessed her love to him last night, and today her phone has been ringing off the hook—he’s called five times already, and she’s too nervous to answer.

她昨晚向他表白了，今天她的电话就响个不停——他已经打了五次，她紧张得不敢接。

The company’s customer service line rang off the hook after the product recall announcement.

产品召回公告发布后，公司的客服热线响个不停。

After she posted her travel photos online, her phone rang off the hook—friends were all calling to ask about her itinerary.

她把旅行照片发到网上后，电话响个不停——朋友们都打电话来问行程。

The embassy’s phone rang off the hook during the holiday, with many citizens calling to ask about visa extensions.（节假日期间，大使馆的电话响个不停，很多公民打电话咨询签证延期。）—— 外交场景，体现“外交机构因便民需求高频呼叫”，考点为“官方机构因常规服务引发的呼叫密集”。

Carrie, your phone’s been ringing off the hook since last night—Big must have called at least ten times. Are you really not going to pick up?"

凯莉，你的电话从昨晚就响个不停——比格肯定打了至少十次了。你真的不接吗？《欲望都市》

When word got out that we were offering 50% commissions, our office phones started ringing off the hook—every salesman in the city wanted a job with us.

当我们提供50%佣金的消息传开后，办公室的电话就开始响个不停——城里的每个销售都想来我们这工作。《华尔街之狼》

Joey, your answering machine’s full because your phone’s been ringing off the hook—your fans found out you’re staying here, and they won’t stop calling.

乔伊，你的留言机都满了，因为你的电话一直响个不停——你的粉丝知道你住在这儿了，打个没完。《老友记》

After the local bakery announced it would give free bread to the poor, its phone rang off the hook—people kept calling to ask for details about the activity.

当地面包店宣布将向穷人免费提供面包后，电话铃响个不停——人们不停地打电话询问有关活动的详细信息。（2024年全国高考英语新课标I卷）