▸ hang on
1 PHRASAL VERB If you ask someone to hang on , you ask them to wait or stop what they are doing or saying for a moment. [INFORMAL ] □ [V P ] Can you hang on for a minute? □ [V P n] Hang on a sec. I'll come with you.
2 PHRASAL VERB If you hang on , you manage to survive, achieve success, or avoid failure in spite of great difficulties or opposition. □ [V P ] United hung on to claim their fifth win in seven games.
3 PHRASAL VERB If you hang on to or hang onto something that gives you an advantage, you succeed in keeping it for yourself, and prevent it from being taken away or given to someone else. □ [V P + to ] The British driver was unable to hang on to his lead. □ [V P n] The company has been struggling to hang onto its sales force.
4 PHRASAL VERB If you hang on to or hang onto something, you hold it very tightly, for example to stop it falling or to support yourself. □ [V P + to ] She was conscious of a second man hanging on to the rail. □ [V P n] …a flight stewardess who helped save the life of a pilot by hanging onto his legs. □ [V P ] He hangs on tightly, his arms around my neck.
5 PHRASAL VERB If you hang on to or hang onto something, you keep it for a longer time than you would normally expect. [INFORMAL ] □ [V P n] You could hang onto it in the hope that it will be worth millions in 10 years time. □ [V P + to ] In the present climate, owners are hanging on to old ships.
6 PHRASAL VERB If one thing hangs on another, it depends on it in order to be successful. □ [V P n] Much hangs on the success of the collaboration between the Group of Seven governments and Brazil.
▸ hang out
1 PHRASAL VERB If you hang out clothes that you have washed, you hang them on a clothes line to dry. □ [V n P ] I was worried I wouldn't be able to hang my washing out. [Also V P n]
2 PHRASAL VERB If you hang out in a particular place or area, you go and stay there for no particular reason, or spend a lot of time there. [mainly AM , INFORMAL ] □ [V P adv/prep] I often used to hang out in supermarkets. □ [V P ] We can just hang out and have a good time.
3 → see also hangout
▸ hang round → see hang around
▸ hang up
1 → see hang 1
2 PHRASAL VERB If you hang up or you hang up the phone, you end a phone call. If you hang up on someone you are speaking to on the phone, you end the phone call suddenly and unexpectedly. □ [V P n] Mum hung up the phone. □ [V P ] Don't hang up! □ [V P + on ] He said he'd call again, and hung up on me.
3 PHRASAL VERB You can use hang up to indicate that someone stops doing a particular sport or activity that they have regularly done over a long period. For example, when a footballer hangs up his boots, he stops playing football. □ [V P n] Keegan announced he was hanging up his boots for good. [Also V n P ]
4 → see also hang-up , hung up
hang|ar /hæ ŋə r / (hangars ) N‑COUNT A hangar is a large building in which aircraft are kept.
hang|dog /hæ ŋdɒg, [AM ] -dɔːg/ also hang-dog ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you say that someone has a hangdog expression on their face, you mean that they look sad, and often guilty or ashamed.
hang|er /hæ ŋə r / (hangers ) N‑COUNT A hanger is the same as a coat hanger .
ha nger-o n (hangers-on ) N‑COUNT If you describe someone as a hanger-on , you are critical of them because they are trying to be friendly with a richer or more important person, especially in order to gain an advantage for themselves. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ This is where the young stars and their hangers-on come to party.
ha ng-glider (hang-gliders ) also hang glider N‑COUNT A hang-glider is a type of glider, made from large piece of cloth fixed to a frame. It is used to fly from high places, with the pilot hanging underneath.
ha ng-gliding N‑UNCOUNT Hang-gliding is the activity of flying in a hang-glider.
hang|ing /hæ ŋ I ŋ/ (hangings ) N‑COUNT A hanging is a large piece of cloth that you put as a decoration on a wall.
ha ng|ing ba s|ket (hanging baskets ) N‑COUNT A hanging basket is a basket with small ropes or chains attached so that it can be hung from a hook. Hanging baskets are usually used for displaying plants or storing fruit and vegetables.
hang|man /hæ ŋmæn/ (hangmen ) N‑COUNT A hangman is a man whose job is to execute people by hanging them.
hang|out /hæ ŋaʊt/ (hangouts ) N‑COUNT If a place is a hangout for a particular group of people, they spend a lot of time there because they can relax and meet other people there. [INFORMAL ] □ By the time he was sixteen, Malcolm already knew most of London's teenage hangouts.
hang|over /hæ ŋoʊvə r / (hangovers )
1 N‑COUNT If someone wakes up with a hangover , they feel sick and have a headache because they have drunk a lot of alcohol the night before.
2 N‑COUNT Something that is a hangover from the past is an idea or way of behaving which people used to have in the past but which people no longer generally have. □ [+ from ] As a hangover from rationing, they mixed butter and margarine.
ha ng-up (hang-ups ) N‑COUNT If you have a hang-up about something, you have a feeling of fear, anxiety, or embarrassment about it. [INFORMAL ] □ [+ about ] I don't have any hang-ups about my body.
hank /hæ ŋk/ (hanks ) N‑COUNT A hank of wool, rope, or string is a length of it which has been loosely wound.