Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - hang

~1 v past tense and past participle hung 1 »HANG FROM ABOVE« a) 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) 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) I always + adv/prep, 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) I always + adv/prep, 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 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« to fix wallpaper1 on a wall 7 »DOOR« to fix a door in position 8 »MIST/SMOKE/SMELL« 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 phr v BrE 1 spoken to move slowly or take too long doing something  (Don't hang about, we've got a train to catch!) 2 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 phr v 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 phr v to be unwilling to speak or do something because you are shy  (Don't hang back - go and introduce yourself.) hang on phr v 1 to hold something tightly  (We all hung on as the bus swung around a sharp bend.)  (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 to continue doing something in spite of difficulties  (I know you're tired, but try to hang on a bit longer.) 4 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 phr v to keep something  (I'd hang on to that letter. You might need it later.) hang out phr v 1 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 T 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 phr v 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 phr v to hang around (hang1) hang together phr v 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 phr v 1 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 T 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 n 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.)