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to hang

to hang

50 2.0
To fall loosely, like cloth or hair
  • verb
  • /hæŋ/
: caer
  • The dress should hang loosely to create an elegant silhouette.
  • hanging over shoulders
  • hanging hair

It says tug and smooth with hands and hang or lay flat.

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Examples

  • I like to let my hair hang freely after a long day at work.

  • But you know, I'll let the shoulders hang for the dress that fits so well.

  • You kind of let that hang down a little bit, OK.

  • Look, it's only hanging off like this much.

  • Oh my God, my feet are hanging off the end.

  • My power bar is just hanging off the bottom of the desk now.

  • It was hanging out the window.

  • Young visitors can even crawl through the cave or hang upside down like a bat.

    Academic text (1995)
  • Five braids of corn hang in the center of the space, which is itself no longer circular.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Frankie stands, takes off his suit coat, and hangs it carefully on a rack by the door.

    Fiction book (1990)

Synonyms

to dangle
vsto hang
118 2.3

Hang loosely so it can move or swing

is more general and does not focus on swinging motion
to drape
vsto hang
50 4.3

To hang or cover something loosely with cloth

is more general, not limited to deliberate arranging for decoration
to flow
vsto hang
21 2.0

To hang or fall in a smooth and graceful way

is more general, not specifically about smooth graceful motion
to fall
vsto hang
16 2.6

Hang or flow loosely and smoothly in a pleasing way

is more general and does not stress graceful, particular arrangement
to drop
vsto hang
4 1.0

To hang down loosely from above

is broader and covers loose arrangement without stressing downward direction
to swag
vsto hang
  • Archaic
1 9.3

To hang down in the middle because of weight

is more general, not focused on sagging or uneven droop from weight
to pend
vsto hang
  • Archaic
8.4

To hang down from above so it moves freely

is about general loose arrangement rather than fixed suspension from above

Antonyms

157 1.5

To make something hold firmly, like a bolt or belt

Idioms

To be in a situation where the result is not decided, for example a job or game

To listen very carefully to every word someone says

to hang a Louie
  • Informal
1 9.9

Turn left while driving or riding a bike

A strong feeling that people in a place notice and feel

1 6.1

In a very dangerous situation where a small problem can cause everything to fail

to care a hang
  • Archaic
1 9.9

To feel no interest or worry at all about something

Make a home and live in a place

to give a hang
  • Archaic
1 9.3

To not care at all about something, used only in negative sentences

Admire someone so much that you think they are perfect

1 9.1

To be in a very risky situation and about to fail

To start your own business as a professional

9.9

To not have enough evidence to prove someone is guilty or to take action

9.9

To throw up when you feel sick

to hang an arse
  • Offensive
9.9

To waste time instead of working

To stop working in your job, especially as an athlete

To stop doing an activity, especially to stop playing music for good

7.7

To live in a place and make it your home

7.7

To stop working after a long time

Phrasal Verbs

to hang out
  • Informal
∞ 2.4

To spend time relaxing or talking with friends

to hang on
  • Informal
445 3.4

To wait a short time or keep going through a hard time

411 2.5

End a phone call by putting the phone down

to hang around
  • Informal
334 2.0

To stay in a place without doing anything important

to hang on
  • Informal
227 3.3

To continue doing something and refuse to give up

to hang in
  • Informal
175 3.6

To keep trying and not give up when things are hard

103 2.3

Put something on a wall or hook so it stays off the ground

to get the hang
  • Informal
56 3.6

Learn to do something well after some practice

56 3.9

To learn how to do something after some practice

38 4.6

To hesitate and stay behind the group

to hang tight
  • Informal
25 7.4

Wait patiently and stay calm during a delay

Keep someone worried about something bad that might happen

to hang on
  • Informal
8 3.0

To stay on the phone and wait

8 8.2

To relax completely and show your true feelings without holding back

To stay united and help each other in hard times

6 4.4

To stay in a place without a clear reason

To fit together so the parts make sense as a whole

To create a dark, worrying feeling that stays with people

Put a large sign or cloth up so people can see it

1 4.4

To be lower than usual or to seem sad

To fly with a lightweight glider hung below your body without an engine

1 5.4

Depend on something that decides the result

to hang fire
  • Informal
1 8.0

To delay making a decision or taking action

to go hang
  • Informal
1 9.1

To spend time relaxing with friends or alone without a plan

Stay perfectly straight when on a wall or ceiling

Compounds

hang-up
  • Informal
19 6.8

An emotional problem that makes someone feel nervous or unable to act normally

7 4.6

A sport of flying a light aircraft without an engine launched from a hill or cliff

6 4.2

A light flying craft without a motor like a large kite that a person hangs under to fly

4 5.9

An unexpected problem that stops progress in a plan or process

1 4.4

A person who flies a small craft like a kite while hanging below it

lever hang
  • Specialized
9.3

A position on gym rings where the body is held straight and horizontal

A position where you hang upside down from a bar or rings with your body straight

A body position with arms stretched backward while the body is held by a bar above

9.9

A position on rings where a gymnast hangs upside down with hips bent and legs straight

straight hang
  • Jargon
8.2

A position on rings or parallel bars with the body straight and arms at the sides

How Loose

to trail
30 1.6
to hang
50 2.0
to drape
50 4.3
to cling
230 2.1

Surface Forms

hang infinitive
hanging present participle
hangs third person singular
hung past
hung past participle

Etymology

Hang originally meant 'to hang down', especially of cloth or hair, so when shoulders, heads, or flowers droop we say they 'hang' because they fall loosely like a hanging cloth.