hang

1 verb past tense and past participle hung /h"/

1 HANG FROM ABOVE

a) (T) to fix or put something in a position so that the bottom part is free to move and does not touch the ground: Hang your coat on the hook.

b) (intransitive always + adv/prep) to be fixed in position at the top so that the bottom part is free to move and does not touch the ground

(+ on/from/out of etc): A large handbag hung from her shoulder. | She sat there with a cigarette hanging out of her mouth.

2 PICTURE ETC

a) (intransitive always + adv/prep, transitive) to fix a picture, photograph etc to a wall, or to be fixed this way

(+ on): A photograph of a handsome soldier hung on the wall.

b) (intransitive always + adv/prep, transitive) to show a picture publicly or be shown publicly: Her portrait now hangs in the National Gallery.

c) be hung with if the walls of a room are hung with pictures or decorations, the pictures etc are on the walls: rooms hung with rich tapestries

3 KILL/BE KILLED past tense and past participle hanged (I, T) to kill someone by dropping them with a rope around their neck, or to die in this way, especially as a punishment for a serious crime

(+ for): They were convicted of genocide and hanged for their crimes. | Corey hanged himself in his prison cell.

4 hang in the balance to be in a situation in which the end is not certain, and something bad may happen: The future of the airline hangs in the balance.

5 hang by a thread to be in a very dangerous situation: For weeks after the accident, her life hung by a thread.

6 PAPER (T) to fix wallpaper 1 on a wall

7 DOOR (T) to fix a door in position

8 MIST/SMOKE/SMELL (T) to stay in the air in the same place for a long time: The smoke from the bonfires hung in the air.

9 hang in there also hang tough informal, especially AmE to remain brave and determined when you are in a difficult situation: You're innocent and you'll win, so hang in there!

10 hang your head to look ashamed and embarrassed: He hung his head and didn't answer her questions.

11 hang fire to be delayed or prevented from happening or continuing: The whole project is hanging fire until next week's meeting.

12 leave sth hanging in the air to fail to make a definite decision about a question: important issues left hanging in the air

13 hang a right/left AmE spoken used to tell the driver of a car to turn right or left

14 hang up your hat informal to leave your job, especially at the end of your working life

15 hang loose old-fashioned used to tell someone to stay calm and relaxed

16 I'll be hanged/I'm hanged if BrE old-fashioned used to express annoyance or to say that you will not allow something to happen: I'll be hanged if I'll let these people order me around!

17 hang it/hang it all BrE old-fashioned used to say that you are disappointed or annoyed about something

18 hang sth BrE old-fashioned used to say that you are not going to do something: Oh hang the ironing, let's go for a drink.

hang about phrasal verb BrE

1 (I) spoken to move slowly or take too long doing something: Don't hang about, we've got a train to catch!

2 (I) to spend time somewhere without any real purpose: There are always kids hanging about down by the shops.

3 hang about with to spend a lot of time with someone: I don't know what he's doing, hanging about with that bunch.

4 hang about! spoken used to ask someone to wait or stop what they are doing: Hang about - I'm nearly ready.

hang around phrasal verb (I, T) informal

1 to wait or stay somewhere with no real purpose: I hung around the station for an hour but he never showed up.

2 hang around with to spend a lot of time with someone: He hangs around with Luke and Callum.

hang back phrasal verb (I) to be unwilling to speak or do something because you are shy: Don't hang back - go and introduce yourself. hang on phrasal verb

1 (I) to hold something tightly: We all hung on as the bus swung around a sharp bend.

(+ to): Hang on to the rail or you'll fall.

2 hang on! BrE spoken used to ask or tell someone to wait: Hang on! I'll be back in a minute.

3 (I) to continue doing something in spite of difficulties: I know you're tired, but try to hang on a bit longer.

4 (T) hang on sth to depend on: The team's survival in the league hangs on the result of this game.

5 hang on sb's words/every word to pay close attention to everything someone is saying

hang on to sb/sth phrasal verb (T) to keep something: I'd hang on to that letter. You might need it later. hang out phrasal verb

1 (intransitive always + adv/prep) informal to spend a lot of time in a particular place or with particular people: She hangs out with a pretty wild crowd. | That's the corner where all the junkies hang out.

—see also: hangout

2 (transitive hang something out) to hang clothes on a piece of string outside in order to dry them: I've hung out the washing.

3 let it all hang out slang to relax and do what you like

hang over sth/sb phrasal verb (I) if something unpleasant hangs over you, you are worried because it is likely to happen soon: The prospect of famine hangs over the whole area. | be hanging over sb's head: With the exams hanging over her head she can't sleep at night. hang round phrasal verb (I, T) to hang around (hang1) hang together phrasal verb (I)

1 to help each other and work together to achieve an aim: We must hang together if we're going to get out of this mess.

2 if a plan, story, set of ideas etc hangs together, it is well-organized and makes sense: The case for the defence just doesn't hang together.

hang up phrasal verb

1 (I) to finish a phone conversation by putting the telephone down: After I hung up I realized I forgot to ask him his telephone number. | hang up on sb (=put the phone down before they have finished speaking): I was so angry, that I hung up on her.

2 (transitive hang something up) to hang clothes on a hook etc

3 be hung up on/about informal to be anxious about something when there is no reason to be: She's hung up about people knowing she didn't go to college.

—see also: hang­up 2 noun get /have the hang of something informal to learn how to do something or use something: Using the computer isn't difficult once you get the hang of it.