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hang on

- 4 dictionary results

hang-on

  [hang-on, -awn] Informal.
Use hang on in a Sentence
–noun
1. something easily attached to or mounted on another surface or object, as a turbocharger or transceiver in an automobile, a unit suspendable from shelving, or a portable soap dish.
–adjective
2. pertaining to or denoting such an attachment: A clumsy hang-on unit supplied the air conditioning.
Origin:
n., adj. use of v. phrase hang on

hang

  [hang] verb, hung or, especially for 4, 5, 20, 24, hanged; hang⋅ing; noun
–verb (used with object)
1. to fasten or attach (a thing) so that it is supported only from above or at a point near its own top; suspend.
2. to attach or suspend so as to allow free movement: to hang a pendulum.
3. to place in position or fasten so as to allow easy or ready movement.
4. to put to death by suspending by the neck from a gallows, gibbet, yardarm, or the like.
5. to suspend (oneself) by the neck until dead: He hanged himself from a beam in the attic.
6. to fasten to a cross; crucify.
7. to furnish or decorate with something suspended: to hang a room with pictures.
8. to fasten into position; fix at a proper angle: to hang a scythe.
9. to fasten or attach (wallpaper, pictures, etc.) to a wall: to hang pictures in a room.
10. to suspend (something) in front of anything: to hang curtains on a window.
11. Fine Arts.
a. to exhibit (a painting or group of paintings): The gallery hung his paintings in a small corner.
b. to put the paintings of (an art exhibition) on the wall of a gallery: They hung the show that morning.
12. to attach or annex as an addition: to hang a rider on a bill.
13. to attach (a door or the like) to its frame by means of hinges.
14. to make (an idea, form, etc.) dependent on a situation, structure, concept, or the like, usually derived from another source: He hung the meaning of his puns on the current political scene.
15. (of a juror) to keep (a jury) from rendering a verdict by refusing to agree with the others.
16. Informal. to cause (a nickname, epithet, etc.) to become associated with a person: Friends hung that nickname on him.
17. Slang. to hit with (a fist, blow, punch, etc.): He hung a left on his opponent's jaw.
18. Baseball. to throw (a pitch) so that it fails to break, as a curve.
19. Nautical. to steady (a boat) in one place against a wind or current by thrusting a pole or the like into the bottom under the boat and allowing the wind or current to push the boat side-on against the pole.
20. (used in mild curses and emphatic expressions, often as a euphemism for damn): I'll be hanged if I do. Hang it all!
–verb (used without object)
21. to be suspended; dangle.
22. to swing freely, as on a hinge.
23. to incline downward, jut out, or lean over or forward: The tree hung over the edge of the lake.
24. to be suspended by the neck, as from a gallows, and suffer death in this way.
25. to be crucified.
26. to be conditioned or contingent; be dependent: His future hangs on the outcome of their discussion.
27. to be doubtful or undecided; waver or hesitate: He hung between staying and going.
28. to remain unfinished or undecided; be delayed: Let that matter hang until our next meeting.
29. to linger, remain, or persist: He hung by her side, unwilling to leave.
30. to float or hover in the air: Fog hung over the city.
31. to be oppressive, burdensome, or tedious: guilt that hangs on one's conscience.
32. to remain in attention or consideration (often fol. by on or upon): They hung on his every word.
33. to fit or drape in graceful lines: That coat hangs well in back.
34. Fine Arts.
a. to be exhibited: His works hang in most major museums.
b. to have one's works on display: Rembrandt hangs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
35. Informal. to hang out.
–noun
36. the way in which a thing hangs.
37. Informal. the precise manner of doing, using, etc., something; knack: to get the hang of a tool.
38. Informal. meaning or thought: to get the hang of a subject.
39. Nautical.
a. loss of way due to adverse wind or current.
b. a rake, as of a mast.
40. the least degree of care, concern, etc. (used in mild curses and emphatic expressions as a euphemism for damn): He doesn't give a hang about those things.
—Verb phrases
41. hang around or about, Informal.
a. to spend time in a certain place or in certain company: He hangs around with an older crowd.
b. to linger about; loiter: They had stopped working and were just hanging around to talk.
42. hang back,
a. to be reluctant to proceed or move forward: The older pupils went straight to the podium, but the younger ones hung back out of shyness.
b. to refrain from taking action; hesitate: A forward pass would have been the best call, but the quarterback hung back because his last pass had been intercepted.
43. hang in, Slang. to persevere: She has managed to hang in despite years of bad luck. Also, hang in there.
44. hang on,
a. to hold fast; cling to.
b. to continue with effort; persevere: If you can hang on for a month longer, you will be eligible for the bonus.
c. to be sustained to the point of danger, tedium, etc.: coughs that hang on for months.
d. to keep a telephone line open: Hang on, I'll see if she's here.
e. to wait briefly; keep calm.
45. hang out,
a. to lean or be suspended through an opening.
b. Informal. to frequent a particular place, esp. in idling away one's free time: to hang out in a bar.
c. Informal. to loiter in public places: nothing to do on Saturday night but hang out.
d. Informal. to consort or appear in public with: Who's she been hanging out with?
e. Slang. to calm down: Hang out, Mom, I'm OK.
f. to wait, esp. briefly: Hang out a minute while I get my backpack.
g. to suspend in open view; display: to hang out the flag.
46. hang over,
a. to remain to be settled; be postponed: They will probably let the final decision hang over until next year.
b. to be imminent or foreboding; threaten: Economic ruin hangs over the town.
47. hang up,
a. to suspend by placing on a hook, peg, or hanger.
b. to cause or encounter delay; suspend or slow the progress of: The accident hung up the traffic for several hours.
c. to break a telephone connection by replacing the receiver on the hook: She received an anonymous call, but the party hung up when she threatened to call the police.
d. to cause a hang-up or hang-ups in: The experience hung her up for years.
—Idioms
48. hang a left (or right), Slang. to make a left (or right) turn, as while driving an automobile: Hang a right at the next corner.
49. hang five, to ride a surfboard with the weight of the body forward and the toes of the forward foot curled over the front edge of the surfboard.
50. hang in the balance, to be in a precarious state or condition: The wounded man's life hung in the balance.
51. hang it up, Informal. to quit, resign, give up, etc.: The chief engineer is hanging it up after 40 years with the company.
52. hang loose, Slang. to remain relaxed or calm: Try to hang loose and don't let it bother you.
53. hang one on, Slang.
a. to hit: He hung one on the bully and knocked him down.
b. to become extremely drunk: Every payday he hangs one on.
54. hang one's head. head (def. 66).
55. hang ten, to ride a surfboard with the weight of the body as far forward as possible and the toes of both feet curled over the front edge of the surfboard.
56. hang together,
a. to be loyal to one another; remain united: “We must indeed all hang together, or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.”
b. to cohere: This pancake batter doesn't hang together.
c. to be logical or consistent: His version of the story does not hang together.
57. hang tough, Slang. to remain unyielding, stubborn, or inflexible: He's hanging tough and won't change his mind.
58. let it all hang out, Slang.
a. to be completely candid in expressing one's feelings, opinions, etc.: She's never been one to let it all hang out.
b. to act or live without restraint or inhibitions.
Origin:
bef. 900; fusion of 3 verbs: (1) ME, OE hōn to hang (transit.), c. Goth hāhan, orig. *haghan; (2) ME hang(i)en, OE hangian to hang (intrans.), c. G hangen; (3) ME henge < ON hengja (transit.), c. G hängen to hang

Related forms:
hang⋅a⋅ble, adjective
hang⋅a⋅bil⋅i⋅ty, noun

Synonyms:
4. Hang, lynch have in common the meaning of “to put to death,” but lynching is not always by hanging. Hang, in the sense of execute, is in accordance with a legal sentence, the method of execution being to suspend by the neck until dead. To lynch, however, implies the summary putting to death, by any method, of someone charged with a flagrant offense (though guilt may not have been proved). Lynching is done by private persons, usually a mob, without legal authority. 26. depend, rely, rest, hinge.

Usage note:
Hang has two forms for the past tense and past participle, hanged and hung. The historically older form hanged is now used exclusively in the sense of causing or putting to death: He was sentenced to be hanged by the neck until dead. In the sense of legal execution, hung is also quite common and is standard in all types of speech and writing except in legal documents. When legal execution is not meant, hung has become the more frequent form: The prisoner hung himself in his cell.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To hang on
hang   (hāng)   
v.   hung (hŭng), hang·ing, hangs

v.   tr.
  1. To fasten from above with no support from below; suspend.
  2. To suspend or fasten so as to allow free movement at or about the point of suspension: hang a door.
  3. past tense and past participle hanged (hāngd)
    1. To execute by suspending by the neck: They hanged the prisoner at dawn.
    2. Used to express exasperation or disgust: I'll be hanged! Hang it all!
    3. To attach to a wall: hang wallpaper.
    4. To display, as in a gallery or office: hung four new paintings in the foyer.
  4. To fix or attach at an appropriate angle: hang a scythe to its handle.
  5. To alter the hem of (a garment) so as to fall evenly at a specified height.
  6. To furnish, decorate, or appoint by suspending objects around or about: hang a room with curtains.
  7. To hold or incline downward; let droop: hang one's head in sorrow.
  8. Informal To make (a turn in a specific direction): At the next intersection, hang a right.
    1. To attach to a wall: hang wallpaper.
    2. To display, as in a gallery or office: hung four new paintings in the foyer.
  10. Informal To give (a nickname or label) to someone.
  11. To deadlock (a jury) by failing to render a unanimous verdict.
  12. Baseball To throw (a pitch) in such a manner as to fail to break.
  13. Computer Science To cause (a computer system) to halt so that input devices, such as the keyboard or the mouse, do not function.
v.   intr.
  1. To be attached from above with no support from below.
  2. To die as a result of hanging.
  3. To remain suspended or poised over a place or an object; hover: rain clouds hanging low over the corn fields.
  4. To attach oneself as a dependent or an impediment; cling.
  5. To incline downward; droop.
  6. To depend: Everything hangs on the committee's decision.
  7. To pay strict attention: a student who hangs on the professor's every word.
  8. To remain unresolved or uncertain: His future hung in the balance.
  9. To fit the body in loose lines: a dress that hangs well.
  10. To be on display, as in a gallery.
  11. Baseball To fail to break or move in the intended way, as a curve ball.
  12. To be imminent; loom: the threat hanging over us.
  13. To be or become burdensome. Time hung heavy on my hands.
  14. Computer Science To be halted, as a computer system, so that input devices do not function: The power surge caused my computer to hang, so I had to reboot it.
  15. Slang
    1. To spend one's free time in a certain place. Often used with around or out: liked to hang out at the pool hall.
    2. To pass time idly; loiter. Often used with around or out: spent the evening hanging at home; hung out for an hour before going to the play.
    3. To keep company; see socially. Often used with around or out: hangs around with kids from a different school.
n.  
  1. The way in which something hangs.
  2. A downward inclination or slope.
  3. Particular meaning or significance.
  4. Informal The proper method for doing, using, or handling something: finally got the hang of it.
  5. A suspension of motion; a slackening.
  6. To cling tightly to something.
  7. To continue persistently; persevere.
  8. To keep a telephone connection open.
  9. To wait for a short period of time.
  10. To stand united; stick together: "We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately" (Benjamin Franklin).
  11. To constitute a coherent totality: diverse plot lines that did not hang together.
  12. To suspend on a hook or hanger.
    1. To replace (a telephone receiver) on its base or cradle.
    2. To end a telephone conversation.
    3. To delay or impede; hinder: Budget problems hung up the project for months.
    4. To become halted or snagged: The fishing line hung up on a rock.
    5. Informal To have or cause to have emotional difficulties or inhibitions.
    1. To delay or impede; hinder: Budget problems hung up the project for months.
    2. To become halted or snagged: The fishing line hung up on a rock.
    3. Informal To have or cause to have emotional difficulties or inhibitions.
Phrasal Verb(s):
hang backTo be averse; hold back.
hang in Informal To persevere: decided to hang in despite his illness.
hang offTo hold back; be averse.
hang on
  1. To cling tightly to something.
  2. To continue persistently; persevere.
  3. To keep a telephone connection open.
  4. To wait for a short period of time.
hang together
  1. To stand united; stick together: "We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately" (Benjamin Franklin).
  2. To constitute a coherent totality: diverse plot lines that did not hang together.
hang up
  1. To suspend on a hook or hanger.
    1. To replace (a telephone receiver) on its base or cradle.
    2. To end a telephone conversation.
    3. To delay or impede; hinder: Budget problems hung up the project for months.
    4. To become halted or snagged: The fishing line hung up on a rock.
    5. Informal To have or cause to have emotional difficulties or inhibitions.
    1. To delay or impede; hinder: Budget problems hung up the project for months.
    2. To become halted or snagged: The fishing line hung up on a rock.
    3. Informal To have or cause to have emotional difficulties or inhibitions.

Idiom(s):
give/care a hangTo be concerned or anxious: I don't give a hang what you do.

Idiom(s):
hang fire
  1. To delay: "They are people who hung fire even through the bloody days of the Hungarian Revolution" (Mark Muro).
  2. To be slow in firing, as a gun.

Idiom(s):
hang in there Informal To persevere despite difficulties; persist: She hung in there despite pressure to resign.

Idiom(s):
hang it up Informal To give up; quit.

Idiom(s):
hang loose Slang To stay calm or relaxed.

Idiom(s):
hang (one's) hatTo settle oneself; take up residence: hung my hat in Chicago.

Idiom(s):
hang on toTo hold firmly; keep fast: Hang on to your money.

Idiom(s):
hang tough Informal To remain firmly resolved: "We are going to hang tough on this" (Donald T. Regan).

Idiom(s):
let it all hang out Slang
  1. To be completely relaxed.
  2. To be completely candid.

[Middle English hongen, from Old English hangian, to be suspended, and from hōn, to hang; see konk- in Indo-European roots.]
hang'a·ble adj.
Usage Note: Hanged, as a past tense and a past participle of hang, is used in the sense of "to put to death by hanging," as in Frontier courts hanged many a prisoner after a summary trial. A majority of the Usage Panel objects to hung used in this sense. In all other senses of the word, hung is the preferred form as past tense and past participle, as in I hung my child's picture above my desk.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

hang on

  1. hang on to. Cling tightly to something, retain, as in Hang on to those papers before they blow away. [Mid-1800s] Also see hang on to your hat.

  2. Continue persistently, persevere, as in This cough is hanging on much longer than I expected, or He was hanging on, hoping business would improve when interest rates went down. This usage was sometimes embellished to hang on by one's eyelashes or eyebrows or eyelids, meaning "to persist at any cost." [Second half of 1800s]

  3. Keep a telephone connection open, as in Please hang on, I'll see if he's in. [First half of 1900s]

  4. Wait for a short time, be patient, as in Hang on, I'm getting it as fast as I can. [First half of 1900s]

  5. Depend on, as in Our plans hang on their decision about the new park. [Colloquial; second half of 1900s]

  6. Blame on, as in They'll try to hang that robbery on the same gang, but I don't think they'll succeed. [Colloquial; first half of 1900s]

  7. hang one on. Get very drunk, as in Come on, let's go and hang one on. [Slang; mid-1900s] Also see the subsequent idioms beginning with hang on.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Language Translation for : hang on
Spanish: esperar,
German: warten,
Japanese: 待つ
More Translations »
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