hang

Universal Words verb, noun verb (hung, hung ) HELPNOTE In sense 4, hanged is used for the past tense and past participle.( attach from top 1 ~ )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] [usuallypassive] ~ 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 )BrE, spoken( used to say that you are not going to worry about sth: Oh, let's get two and hang the expense! hang a left / right )AmE( to take a left/right turn hang by a hair / thread )of a person's life( to be in great danger hang )on( in there )informal( to remain determined to succeed even when a situation is difficult hang on sb's words / on sb's every word to listen with great attention to sb you admire hang tough )AmE( to be determined and refuse to change your attitude or ideas let it all hang out )informal( to express your feelings freely moreatBALANCEn., FIREn., GRIM, HEAVYadv., LOOSEadj., PEGn. PHRASALVERBS hang about )BrE, informal( 1 to wait or stay near a place, not doing very much: kids hanging about in the streets 2 to be very slow doing sth: I can't hang about-the boss wants to see me. 3 )spoken( used to tell sb to stop what they are doing or saying for a short time: Hang about! There's something not quite right here. hang about with sb )informal( to spend a lot of time with sb hang around )...( )informal( to wait or stay near a place, not doing very much: You hang around here in case he comes, and I'll go on ahead. hang around with sb )informal( to spend a lot of time with sb hang back to remain in a place after all the other people have left hang back )from sth( to hesitate because you are nervous about doing or saying sth: I was sure she knew the answer but for some reason she hung back. hang on 1 to hold sth tightly: Hang on tight-we're off! 2 )spoken( used to ask sb to wait for a short time or to stop what they are doing: Hang on-I'm not quite ready. * Now hang on a minute-you can't really believe what you just said! 3 to wait for sth to happen: I haven't heard if I've got the job yet-they've kept me hanging on for days. 4 )spoken( used on the telephone to ask sb who is calling to wait until they can talk to the person they want: Hang on-I'll just see if he's here. 5 to continue doing sth in difficult circumstances: The team hung on for victory. hang on sth to depend on sth: A lot hangs on this decision. hang on to sth 1 to hold sth tightly: Hang on to that rope and don't let go. 2 )informal( to keep sth, not sell it or give it away: Let's hang on to those old photographs-they may be valuable. hang out )informal( to spend a lot of time in a place: The local kids hang out at the mall. relatednounHANG-OUT hang over sb if sth bad or unpleasant is hanging over you, you think about it and worry about it a lot because it is happening or might happen: The possibility of a court case is still hanging over her. hang together 1 to fit together well; to be the same as or CONSISTENT with each other: Their accounts of what happened don't hang together. 2 )of people( to support or help one another hang up to end a telephone conversation by putting the telephone RECEIVER down or switching the telephone off: After I hung up I remembered what I'd wanted to say. hang sth<->up )informal( to finish using sth for the last time: Ruth has hung up her dancing shoes. hang up on sb )informal( to end a telephone call by suddenly and unexpectedly putting the telephone down: Don't hang up on me-we must talk! seealsoHUNGUP noun [sing.] the way in which a dress, piece of fabric, etc. falls or moves: Small weights sewn into the hems will improve the hang of your curtains. IDIOMS get the hang of sth )informal( to learn how to do or to use sth; to understand sth: It's not difficult once you get the hang of it. * I can't seem to get the hang of this game. * I never got the hang of negative numbers.