I. ˈdaŋgəl verb
( dangled ; dangled ; dangling -g(ə)liŋ ; dangles )
Etymology: probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Danish dangle to dangle, Swedish dangla, probably of imitative origin
intransitive verb
1. : to hang loosely especially with a swinging or jerking motion
hands relaxed and dangling over their knee bones — Marjory S. Douglas
caught hold of the eaves and swung dangling there — V.G.Heiser
2. : to be a hanger-on : hang about as or as if a dependent
a flirt, who liked to keep several beaus dangling
— often used with after
spent his youth in dangling after the ladies
3. : to become hanged
4. : to occur in a sentence especially at or near the beginning without standing in some normally expected syntactic relation to the rest of the sentence and especially without modifying the subject (as lying in “lying awake, memories crowded into his mind” or tired and happy in “tired but happy, the bus whisked us home”)
dangling participle
dangling modifier
transitive verb
1. : to cause to dangle : swing
dangling his feet in the water
2. : to keep (as hopes) hanging uncertainly : hold suspended
dangling to them the lures of levity and life — Max Beerbohm
II. noun
( -s )
1. : the action of dangling
2. : something that dangles