hang on to something Definition

hang
verb hung (past tense, past participle), hanged (past tense, past participle in sense 3), hanging (present participle)

tr & intr
1. To fasten or be fastened from above, especially with the lower part free.

Thesaurus: suspend, dangle, drape, sag, droop, loll, sling; attach, stick, nail, hook.
tr & intr
2. Said of a door, etc: to fasten or be fastened with hinges so that it can move freely.
tr & intr
3. To suspend or be suspended by a rope or something similar around the neck until dead.

Thesaurus: lynch, execute, gibbet, string up.
4. To be suspended or hover, especially in the air or in a threatening way.

Example: The smell of paint hung in the air
Example: The fear of redundancy hung over me
Form: hang over (sometimes)
tr & intr
5. To droop or make something droop.

Example: hang one's head in shame
6. To fix (wallpaper) to a wall.
tr & intr
7. Said of a painting, etc: to place or be placed in an exhibition.
8. To decorate (a room, wall, etc) with pictures or other hangings.
tr & intr
9. colloq
To damn or be damned.
Example: Hang the expense
intr
10. Said of a piece of clothing: to sit in a specified way when worn.

Example: a coat which hangs well
11. To suspend game from a hook to allow it to decompose slightly and become more flavoursome.
12. To prevent (a jury) from reaching a verdict.
13. computing.
Said of a computer or a program: to stop functioning.

noun

1. The way something hangs, falls or droops.
2. colloq
A damn. See also hanging.
Example: I couldn't give a hang

Idiom: get the hang of something

colloq
To learn or begin to understand how to do it.

Idiom: hang a left (hang a right)

(S)
colloq
To turn left or right, especially when driving.

Idiom: hang by a thread

To depend upon very precarious conditions, a slim chance, etc.

Idiom: hang fire

To delay taking action.
Thesaurus: delay, procrastinate, stall, stop, vacillate, wait, hang back; Antonym: press on.

To cease to develop or progress.

Idiom: hang in the balance

To be uncertain or in doubt.

Idiom: hang loose

To do nothing.

To be relaxed and unperturbed by one's surroundings, etc.

Idiom: hang on in there

colloq
Keep trying; don't give up.

Idiom: hang one's head

To look ashamed or sheepish.

Idiom: hang on someone's lips (hang on someone's words)

To give close admiring attention to someone.

Idiom: let it all hang out

To be totally uninhibited and relaxed.

To act or speak freely.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon hangian.

Phrasal Verb: hang about or around

To waste time; to stand around doing nothing.To stay or remain.

Phrasal Verb: hang about or around with someone

To spend a lot of time in their company.

Phrasal Verb: hang back

To be unwilling or reluctant to do something.

Phrasal Verb: hang on

To wait.
Example: I'll hang on for a bit
To carry on bravely, in spite of problems or difficulties.

Phrasal Verb: hang on something

To depend on it.
Example: It all hangs on the weather
To listen closely to it
Example: hanging on her every word.

Phrasal Verb: hang something on someone

To blame them for it.

Phrasal Verb: hang on to something

To keep a hold or control of it.

Phrasal Verb: hang out

To lean or bend out (eg of a window, etc).Said of clothes: to hang up outside to dry.To frequent a place. See also hang-out.
Example: He hangs out in local bars

Phrasal Verb: hang something out

To hang up (washing) outside to dry.

Phrasal Verb: hang out for something

To insist on it and wait until one gets it.

Phrasal Verb: hang over someone

Said of an unresolved problem, decision, etc: to overshadow or threaten them.

Phrasal Verb: hang over something

To project over or lean out from it.

Phrasal Verb: hang together

Said of two people: to be united and support each other.Said of ideas, etc: to be consistent.

Phrasal Verb: hang up

To finish a telephone conversation by replacing the receiver.

Phrasal Verb: hang something up

To hang something on a hook, hanger, etc.

Info:

○ The normal past tense and past participle of the verb hang is hung &wbox; &wbox; &wbox;

○ When the verb refers to killing by hanging, the correct form of the past tense and past participle is hanged&wbox; &wbox; Hung is increasingly used in this sense also, but in formal English it is better to use hanged.