from Farlex Dictionary of Idioms:
Of a telephone, to be ringing constantly or very frequently.
The image is of the phone ringing so frequently that it falls off the cradle or wall attachment.
The telephone has been ringing off the hook ever since the ad appeared in the paper.
The phone was ringing off the hook when I came in.
從字面的解釋看來,電話一直響讓話筒快掉下來了。意思就是電話一直響個不停,也可以說成「奪命連環call]。通常會用進行式表達。