I. ˈhaŋ, ˈhaiŋ sometimes ˈheŋ verb
( hung ˈhəŋ ; also hanged ; hung also hanged ; hanging ; hangs )
Etymology: partly from Middle English hon (past, heng, hing, hang, hong; past participle hangen, hongen ), from Old English hōn (vt); partly from Middle English hangen, hongen, from Old English hangian (vi & vt); partly from Middle English hengen, hingen, from Old Norse hengja (vt), causative from the root of Old Norse hanga to hang; all akin to Old High German hāhan to hang (vt), hangēn (vi), Gothic hāhan to hang, and probably to Latin cunctari to hesitate, Sanskrit śaṅkate he wavers, doubts, fears, Hittite ganki he hangs
transitive verb
1.
a. : to fasten to some elevated point without support from below : suspend
hang a coat on a hook
hang a pan from a beam over a stove
hang meat to ripen
a picture hung on the wall
b.
(1) : to put to death by suspending from a cross, gibbet, or gallows — sometimes hanged in the past
condemned to be hanged by the neck until dead
(2) : to bring to justice or doom : expose in evil actions or objectionable ways in such a manner as to bring to punishment or an appropriate fate
the criminal's very brazenness will hang him sooner or later
the chef's arrogant manner finally hung him and he lost his job
— often used interjectionally as a mild imprecation
I'll be hanged
hang it all
c. : to fasten so as to allow free motion within given limits upon a point of suspension
hang a pendulum
also : to install by fastening in such a way
can fit and hang 20 doors in less than two hours — American Builder
d. : to fit or fix in position or at a proper angle (a part of an implement that is swung in use)
hang an ax to its helve
e. : to adjust the hem of (a skirt) so as to hang evenly and at a proper height when worn
spent an hour hanging a skirt
2. : to cover, decorate, or furnish by hanging pictures, trophies, drapery, or other decorations
hung the room with evergreen boughs
able to hang themselves … with a variety of ostentatious ornaments — Jacquetta & Christopher Hawkes
3. : to hold or bear in a suspended or inclined manner
hang her head in embarrassment
4.
a. : to fasten (as with glue or paste) to a wall
hang wallpaper
hang tile in the bathroom
b. : to cause (a name) to stick
hung several nasty nicknames on him during the campaign
5.
a. : to style or set (as a paragraph) in printing with a hanging indention
hang each boldface entry word one em
b. : to place below the foot of a type page (overset type matter)
6.
a. : to append or attach (as a rider) additionally to a legislative bill
b. : to impose (as an idea) upon a convenient form or medium for artistic expedience
hung his sardonic and sometimes savage satire on romantic opera — Time
7. : to prevent (as a jury) from reaching a decision (as by one member's refusal to join in a verdict which must be unanimous)
8.
a. : to display (an exhibition of pictures) in a gallery or hall
b. : to display the works of (an artist) in a gallery
9. : to catch (a fish) with a hook
10. : to strike a blow with
hung that left on the Dutchman's jaw — Ring Lardner
11. : to give no further consideration to : neglect totally
would hang the responsibility and go fishing
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to become suspended or fastened to some point above without support from below : dangle
a purse hanging from a strap
a sign hanging from a nail
meat hanging to ripen
a picture hanging on the wall
b.
(1) : to die or become dead by hanging — sometimes hanged in the past
he hanged for his crimes
(2) : to come to justice : become subjected to an appropriate unpleasant doom
c.
(1) : to remain poised or stationary in midair round about or overhead as if suspended
a dim, oblong patch of light hanging slantwise in the darkness — Liam O'Flaherty
clouds hanging low overhead
the bird hung in the air a moment and then swooped
musty air hung in the alleyway
foggy weather had been hanging over the prairie — O.E.Rölvaag
: hover
around each hung a spirit, an emanation — Anton Vogt
(2) : to have only a precarious hold
meadows hanging on ridge and mountain slopes — John Muir †1914
(3) : to stay with persistence
the notion hung in his mind for days
(4) : to await as if exposed
that Indian property … hangs as a rich prize for the taking — D'Arcy McNickle
d.
(1) : to become fastened so as to allow free motion on the point of suspension
the door hangs on its hinges
(2) : to be in a specified position on a point of suspension
the casement window hung open over the street
e. : to be imminent : impend
evils hang over the nation
f. : to be circumstantially relevant
thereby hangs a tale — Shakespeare
g. : to fall or droop from a usually tense or taut position
his lower lip hung open — J.D.Wall
the reins hung loose on the horse's back
2. : to rest or depend for authority or resolution
an election often hangs on one vote
the question of unity hangs on what the writer deems the veritable topic of his work — H.O.Taylor
3. : to support things that are suspended or attached or that incline over or downward
trees hanging with festoons of moss
4.
a.
(1) : to take hold for support : cling , cleave , adhere
the woman seemed faint and hung on his arm
hung to the trolley-car strap
(2) : to keep persistent contact
the dogs hung to the trail of the fox
b. : to be burdensome : act as an oppressive weight or care
the worry hung on his mind until he was frantic
time hangs on his hands and he is unutterably bored
c. : lean
hanging on the rail of the ship watching the sea
5.
a. : to be indecisive or uncertain : be in suspense : suffer delay
the decision is still hanging
b. : to occupy an uncertain mid-position
his career hung for several years between law and medicine
6. : to lean, incline, or jut over or downward
high above it hangs the rocky pinnacle — Hot-Metal Magic
7. : to be in a state of rapt attention — usually used with on
hung on his every word
8. : idle , loiter
found the boys hanging around poolrooms
making the acquaintance of quiet gentlemen hanging about the fringes of tourist parties — Louis Bromfield
— compare hang around
9. : to have the charge stuck or arched in one part while the part underneath falls away so as to leave a gap — used especially of a blast furnace for iron
10. : to fit or fall from the figure in easy lines
the coat hangs loosely
11.
a. of a ball : to rebound unexpectedly or unusually slowly (as in a game of cricket or tennis)
b. of a racehorse : to run at less than top speed
Synonyms: see depend
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- hang fire
- hang in the air
- hang in the balance
- hang one on
- hang over one's head
II. noun
( -s )
1.
a. : the manner in which a thing hangs
the hang of the ax on its helve
the hang of the gown
b. : a position taken on any piece of gymnastics apparatus in which the center of gravity of a gymnast is below the point of support
2. : declivity , slope ; also : droop
the hang of his lower lip
3.
a. : the peculiar and significant order or meaning
can't get the hang of the discourse
get the hang of harmony singing — Dinah Shore
b. : the special method of doing, using, or dealing with something : knack
took some time to get the hang of driving the tractor
4. : a hesitation, pause, or slackening in motion or in a course
a marked hang of the oar in the air before it dipped
5. : the action of a furnace that hangs — called also hanging
•
- give a hang
III. transitive verb
also hang in
1. : to throw (a breaking pitch) so that it fails to break properly
2. : to make (a turn) especially while driving
hung a left into the driveway
intransitive verb
1. of a thrown ball : to fail to break or drop as intended
2. : to spend time idly especially with a particular person or group of people : hang out — usually used with with
3. : to keep up : stay even (as in a game or race) — often used with with
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- hang five
- hang in there
- hang it up
- hang loose
- hang out to dry
- hang ten
- hang tough