to hang
- verb
- /hæŋ/
- Specialized
- Now, while you two sit here cross-examining me, someone's future is hanging in the balance.
So I don't know, maybe for that reason, they'll either hang or they'll find a way to find him not guilty.
- So I don't know, maybe for that reason, they'll either hang or they'll find a way to find him not guilty.
- They retried him one time and the jury found hung and and they didn't get a conviction and then they went back again and convicted him three months later.
- And she was on trial and the first time got a hung jury.
Examples
-
Annie, if the jury hangs, if there's a mistrial, then the people I work for, they will hurt you just to punish me.
-
If the jury hangs, a new trial will be set for next month.
-
What you need is a legal peg so the jury can hang their sympathy on your behalf.
-
When the jury could not reach a decision, the judge announced that the case had hung.
-
The attorney warned that if the jury hangs, it could lead to a mistrial.
Antonyms
Idioms
To be in a situation where the result is not decided, for example a job or game
- Informal
In a very dangerous situation where a small problem can cause everything to fail
- Archaic
To not have enough evidence to prove someone is guilty or to take action
- Archaic
To stop doing an activity, especially to stop playing music for good
Phrasal Verbs
- Informal
To relax completely and show your true feelings without holding back
Compounds
- Informal
An emotional problem that makes someone feel nervous or unable to act normally
A sport of flying a light aircraft without an engine launched from a hill or cliff
A light flying craft without a motor like a large kite that a person hangs under to fly
- Jargon
A position on rings where a gymnast hangs upside down with hips bent and legs straight
- Jargon
A position on rings or parallel bars with the body straight and arms at the sides
Surface Forms
Etymology
Hang is in the phrase 'hung jury' from the idea of being stuck and not moving on, so when a jury 'hangs' it cannot reach a decision and the case stays in the same place.