hang

verb (past and past participle hung except in sense 2)

1》 suspend or be suspended from above with the lower part not attached.

    ↘attach or be attached so as to allow free movement about the point of attachment.

    ↘attach (meat or game) to a hook and leave it until dry, tender, or high.

    ↘(of fabric or a garment) fall or drape in a specified way.

    ↘paste (wallpaper) to a wall.

    ↘(be hung with) be decorated with (pictures or other decorations).

2》 (past and past participle hanged) kill by tying a rope attached from above around the neck and removing the support from beneath the feet (used as a form of capital punishment).

    ↘be killed by hanging.

3》 remain static in the air.

    ↘be present or imminent, especially oppressively: a sense of dread hung over him.

4》 Computing come unexpectedly to a state in which no further operations can be carried out.

5》 Baseball deliver (a pitch) which does not change direction and is easily hit by a batter.

6》 N. Amer. informal way of saying hang around (in sense 2) or hang out.

noun a downward droop or bend.

↘the way in which something hangs or is hung.

exclamation dated used in expressions as a mild oath: well, hang it all!

Phrases

get the hang of informal learn how to operate or do.

hang fire delay or be delayed in taking action.

hang a left (or right) N. Amer. informal make a left (or right) turn.

hang someone out to dry informal leave someone in a difficult or vulnerable situation.

hang ten ride a surfboard with all ten toes curled over the board's front edge.

hang tough N. Amer. informal be or remain inflexible or firmly resolved.

let it all hang out informal be very relaxed or uninhibited.

not care (or give) a hang informal not care at all.

Phrasal verbs

hang around (or round or Brit. about)

1》 loiter; wait around.

2》 (hang around with) associate with.

hang back remain behind.

↘show reluctance to act or move.

hang in (often hang in there)informal remain persistent and determined in difficult circumstances.

hang on

1》 hold tightly.

    ↘informal remain firm or resolved.

2》 informal wait for a short time.

3》 be contingent or dependent on.

4》 listen closely to.

hang out informal spend time relaxing or enjoying oneself.

hang together

1》 make sense; be consistent.

2》 (of people) help or support one another.

hang up end a telephone conversation by cutting the connection.

Origin

OE hangian (v.), of W. Gmc origin, reinforced by the ON verb hanga.

Usage

Hang has two past tense and past participle forms: hanged and hung. Use hung in most general uses, e.g. he hung the picture on the wall, but use hanged to refer to execution by hanging: the prisoner was hanged.