let oneself off the hook

-izbjeći obavezu ili tešku situaciji; ‘skinuti se s udice’

(Alludes to a fish freeing itself from a fishhook. Typically: be ~; get ~; get someone ~; letsomeone ~.)

Thanks for getting me off the hook. I didn’t want to attend that meeting. 
I couldn’t get myself off the hook no matter what I tried.