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verb Hang v. t. (past & past part. hung; pres. part. hanging) 1.To suspend; to fasten to some elevated point without support from below; often used with up or out; as, to hang a coat on a hook; to hang up a sign; to hang out a banner. 2.To fasten in a manner which will allow of free motion upon the point or points of suspension; said of a pendulum, a swing, a door, gate, etc. 3.To fit properly, as at a proper angle (a part of an implement that is swung in using), as a scythe to its snath, or an ax to its helve. (U. S.) 4.To put to death by suspending by the neck; a form of capital punishment; as, to hang a murderer. 5.To cover, decorate, or furnish by hanging pictures, trophies, drapery, and the like, or by covering with paper hangings; said of a wall, a room, etc. "Hung be the heavens with black." "And hung thy holy roofs with savage spoils." 6.To paste, as paper hangings, on the walls of a room. 7.To hold or bear in a suspended or inclined manner or position instead of erect; to droop; as, he hung his head in shame. "Cowslips wan that hang the pensive head." 8.To prevent from reaching a decision, esp. by refusing to join in a verdict that must be unanimous; as, one obstinate juror can hang a jury. To hang down, to let fall below the proper position; to bend down; to decline; as, to hang down the head, or, elliptically, to hang the head. To hang fire (Mil.), to be slow in communicating fire through the vent to the charge; as, the gun hangs fire; hence, to hesitate, to hold back as if in suspense.
Hang v. i. (past & past part. hung; pres. part. hanging) 1.To be suspended or fastened to some elevated point without support from below; to dangle; to float; to rest; to remain; to stay. 2.To be fastened in such a manner as to allow of free motion on the point or points of suspension. 3.To die or be put to death by suspension from the neck. (R.) "Sir Balaam hangs." 4.To hold for support; to depend; to cling; usually with on or upon; as, this question hangs on a single point. "Two infants hanging on her neck." 5.To be, or be like, a suspended weight. "Life hangs upon me, and becomes a burden." 6.To hover; to impend; to appear threateningly; usually with over; as, evils hang over the country. 7.To lean or incline; to incline downward. "To decide which way hung the victory." "His neck obliquely o'er his shoulder hung." 8.To slope down; as, hanging grounds. 9.To be undetermined or uncertain; to be in suspense; to linger; to be delayed. "A noble stroke he lifted high, Which hung not, but so swift with tempest fell On the proud crest of Satan." 10.(Cricket, Tennis, etc.) Of a ball: To rebound unexpectedly or unusually slowly, due to backward spin on the ball or imperfections of ground. 11.(Baseball) To fail to curve, break, or drop as intended; said of pitches, such as curve balls or sliders. 12.(Computers) To cease to operate normally and remain suspended in some state without performing useful work; said of computer programs, computers, or individual processes within a program; as, when using Windows 3.1, my system would hang and need rebooting several times a day. Note: this situation could be caused by bugs within an operating system or within a program, or incompatibility between programs or between programs and the hardware. To hang around, to loiter idly about. To hang back, to hesitate; to falter; to be reluctant. "If any one among you hangs back." To hang by the eyelids. (a)To hang by a very slight hold or tenure. (b)To be in an unfinished condition; to be left incomplete. To hang in doubt, to be in suspense. To hang on (with the emphasis on the preposition), to keep hold; to hold fast; to stick; to be persistent, as a disease. To hang on the lips To hang on the words, etc., to be charmed by eloquence. To hang out. (a)To be hung out so as to be displayed; to project. (b)To be unyielding; as, the juryman hangs out against an agreement; to hold out. (Colloq.) (c)to loiter or lounge around a particular place; as, teenageers tend to hang out at the mall these days. To hang over. (a)To project at the top. To hang to, to cling. To hang together. (a)To remain united; to stand by one another. "We are all of a piece; we hang together." (b)To be self-consistent; as, the story does not hang together. (Colloq.) To hang upon. (a)To regard with passionate affection. (b)(Mil.) To hover around; as, to hang upon the flanks of a retreating enemy.
adjective Hanging adj. 1.Requiring, deserving, or foreboding death by the halter. "What a hanging face!" 2.Suspended from above; pendent; as, hanging shelves. 3.Adapted for sustaining a hanging object; as, the hanging post of a gate, the post which holds the hinges. Hanging compass, a compass suspended so that the card may be read from beneath. Hanging garden, a garden sustained at an artificial elevation by any means, as by the terraces at Babylon. Hanging indentation. See under Indentation. Hanging rail (Arch.), that rail of a door or casement to which hinges are attached. Hanging side (Mining), the overhanging side of an inclined or hading vein. Hanging sleeves. (a)Strips of the same stuff as the gown, hanging down the back from the shoulders. (b)Loose, flowing sleeves. Hanging stile. (Arch.) (a)That stile of a door to which hinges are secured. (b)That upright of a window frame to which casements are hinged, or in which the pulleys for sash windows are fastened. Hanging wall (Mining), the upper wall of inclined vein, or that which hangs over the miner's head when working in the vein.
noun Hanging n. 1.The act of suspending anything; the state of being suspended. 2.Death by suspension; execution by a halter. 3.That which is hung as lining or drapery for the walls of a room, as tapestry, paper, etc., or to cover or drape a door or window; used chiefly in the plural. "Now purple hangings clothe the palace walls."
Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48
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