HANG, v.t. pret. and pp. hanged or hung.

A sharp declivity. [Colloquial.]

1. To be suspended; to be sustained by something above, so as to swing or be movable below.
2. To dangle; to be loose and flowing below.
3. To bend forward or downward; to lean or incline. His neck obliquely o'er his shoulder hung. Pope.
4. To float; to play. And fall those sayings from that gentle tongue, / Where civil speech and soft persuasion hung. Prior.
5. To be supported by something raised above the ground; as, a hanging garden on the top of a house. Addison.
6. To depend; to rest on something for support. This question hangs on a single point.
7. To rest on by embracing; to cling to; as, to hang on the neck of a person. Two infants hanging on her neck. Peacham.
8. To hover; to impend; with over. View the dangers that hang over the country.
9. To be delayed; to linger. A noble stroke he lifted high Which hung not. Milton.
10. To incline; to have a steep declivity; as, hanging grounds. Mortimer.
11. To be executed by the halter. Sir Balaam hangs. Pope. To hang fire, in the military art, is to be slow in communicating, as fire in the pan of a gun to the charge. To hang on, to adhere to, often as something troublesome and unwelcome. A cheerful temper dissipates the apprehensions which hang on the timorous. Addison. #2. To adhere obstinately; to be importunate. #3. To rest; to reside; to continue. #4. To be dependent on. How wretched / Is that poor man that hangs on princes' favors! Shak. #5. In seamen's language, to hold fast without belaying; to pull forcibly. To hang in doubt, to be in suspense, or in a state of uncertainty. Thy life shall hang in doubt before thee. Deut xxviii. To hang together, to be closely united; to cling. In the common cause we are all of a piece; we hang together. Dryden. #2. To be just united, so as barely to hold together. Shak. To hang on or upon, to drag; to be incommodiously joined. Life hangs upon me and becomes a burden. Addison. To hang to, to adhere closely; to cling.

1. To suspend; to fasten to some fixed object above, in such a manner as to swing or move; as, to hang a thief. Pharaoh hanged the chief baker. Hence,
2. To put to death by suspending by the neck. Many men would rebel, rather than be ruined; but they would rather not rebel than be hanged. Ames.
3. To place without any solid support or foundation. He hangeth the earth upon nothing. Job xxxvi.
4. To fix in such a manner as to be movable; as, to hang a door or grate on hooks or by butts.
5. To cover or furnish by any thing suspended or fastened to the walls; as, to hang an apartment with curtains or with pictures. Hung be the heavens with black. Shak. And hung thy holy roofs with savage spoils. Dryden. To hang out, to suspend in open view; to display; to exhibit to notice; as, to hang out false colors. #2. To hang abroad; to suspend in the open air. To hang over, to project or cause to project above. To hang down, to let fall below the proper situation; to bend down; to decline; as, to hang down the head, and elliptically, to hang the head. To hang up, to suspend; to place on something fixed on high. #2. To suspend; to keep or suffer to remain undecided; as, to hang up, a question in debate.

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 be suspended or fastened to some elevated point without support from below; to dangle; to float; to rest; to remain; to stay.
3. The manner in which one part or thing hangs upon, or is connected with, another; as, the hang of a scythe.
4. Of a ball: To rebound unexpectedly or unusually slowly, due to backward spin on the ball or imperfections of ground.
5. 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.
   
   

6. 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.
7. To be fastened in such a manner as to allow of free motion on the point or points of suspension.
8. Connection; arrangement; plan; as, the hang of a discourse.
   
   
   [Colloq.]

9. 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.]
10. To die or be put to death by suspension from the neck.
    
    
    [R.] "Sir Balaam hangs." Pope.
11. A sharp or steep declivity or slope.
    
    
    [Colloq.]

    To get the hang of, to learn the method or arrangement of; hence, to become accustomed to. [Colloq.]

12. To put to death by suspending by the neck; -- a form of capital punishment; as, to hang a murderer.
13. 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." Peacham.
14. 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. Shak.

    And hung thy holy roofs with savage spoils. Dryden.

15. To be, or be like, a suspended weight.
    
    

    Life hangs upon me, and becomes a burden. Addison.

16. To paste, as paper hangings, on the walls of a room.
17. To hover; to impend; to appear threateningly; -- usually with over; as, evils hang over the country.
18. 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. Milton.

    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.

19. To lean or incline; to incline downward.
    
    

    To decide which way hung the victory. Milton.

    His neck obliquely o'er his shoulder hung. Pope.

20. To slope down; as, hanging grounds.
21. 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. Milton.

    To hang around, to loiter idly about. - - To hang back, to hesitate; to falter; to be reluctant. "If any one among you hangs back." Jowett (Thucyd.). -- 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, 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. [Colloq.] -- To hang over. (a) To project at the top. (b) To impend over. -- 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." Dryden. (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.