/ hæŋ; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb
( hung , hung / hʌŋ; NAmE /
HELP NOTE : In sense 4, hanged is used for the past tense and past participle.
)
ATTACH FROM TOP
1.
hang (sth) (up) [+ adv. / prep. ] to attach sth, or to be attached, at the top so that the lower part is free or loose :
[ vn ]
Hang your coat up on the hook.
Where are we supposed to hang our washing up to dry?
[ v ]
There were several expensive suits hanging in the wardrobe.
FALL LOOSELY
2.
[ v + adv. / prep. ] when sth hangs in a particular way, it falls in that way :
Her hair hung down to her waist.
He had lost weight and the suit hung loosely on him.
BEND DOWNWARDS
3.
to bend or let sth bend downwards :
[ v ]
The dog's tongue was hanging out.
Children hung (= were leaning) over the gate.
A cigarette hung from her lips.
[ vn ]
She hung her head in shame.
KILL SB
4.
( hanged , hanged ) to kill sb, usually as a punishment, by tying a rope around their neck and allowing them to drop; to be killed in this way :
[ vn ]
He was the last man to be hanged for murder in this country.
She had committed suicide by hanging herself from a beam.
[ v ]
At that time you could hang for stealing.
PICTURES
5.
to attach sth, especially a picture, to a hook on a wall; to be attached in this way :
[ vn ]
We hung her portrait above the fireplace.
[ v ]
Several of his paintings hang in the Tate Gallery.
6.
[ vn ] [ usually passive ] hang sth with sth to decorate a place by placing paintings, etc. on a wall :
The rooms were hung with tapestries.
WALLPAPER
7.
[ vn ] to stick wallpaper to a wall
DOOR / GATE
8.
[ vn ] to attach a door or gate to a post so that it moves freely
STAY IN THE AIR
9.
[ v + adv. / prep. ] to stay in the air :
Smoke hung in the air above the city.
•
IDIOMS
- hang sth
- hang a left / right
- hang by a hair / thread
- hang (on) in there
- hang on sb's words / on sb's every word
- hang tough
- let it all hang out
—more at balance noun , fire noun , grim , heavy adverb , loose adjective , peg noun , well adverb
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- hang about
- hang about with sb
- hang around ( ... )
- hang around with sb
- hang back
- hang back (from sth)
- hang on
- hang on sth
- hang on to sth
- hang out
- hang over sb
- hang together
- hang up
- hang sth up
- hang up on sb
—see also hung up
■ noun
[ sing. ] the way in which a dress, piece of cloth, etc. falls or moves
•
IDIOMS
- get the hang of sth
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English hangian (intransitive verb), of West Germanic origin, related to Dutch and German hangen , reinforced by the Old Norse transitive verb hanga .