hang
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: enpr: hăng
ipa: /hæŋ/
rhymes: -æŋ
Forms: form: hangs
Etymology: From Middle English hangen, hongen, from a fusion of Old English hōn (“to hang, be hanging”, transitive verb) and hangian (“to hang, cause to hang”, intransitive verb), from Proto-West Germanic *hą̄han and *hangēn; also probably influenced by Old Norse hengja (“to suspend”) and hanga (“to be suspended”); all from Proto-Germanic *hanhaną, *hangāną, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱenk- (“to waver, be in suspense”).
See also Dutch hangen, Low German hangen and hängen, German hängen, Norwegian Bokmål henge, Norwegian Nynorsk henga; also Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌷𐌰𐌽 (hāhan), Hittite 𒂵𒀀𒀭𒂵 (/⁠kānk-⁠/, “to hang”), Sanskrit शङ्कते (śáṅkate, “is in doubt, hesitates”), Latin cūnctārī (“to delay”).
Senses: examples: text: This skirt has a nice hang.
glosses: The way in which something hangs.
examples: text: They advanced in a crouch, dropping to their knees every few yards to pass under a hang of rock.
ref: 2014, Matthew Jobin, The Nethergrim, volume 1:
text: “I don't see the hang of so much talky-talky,” broke in Uncle Sam. “We've heard all that can be said about things, […]
ref: 1911, Alexander MacDonald, The Invisible Island: A Story of the Far North of Queensland, page 105:
glosses: A mass of hanging material.
glosses: A slackening of motion.
glosses: A sharp or steep declivity or slope.
examples: text: We sometimes get system hangs.
topics: computing
engineering
mathematics
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
sciences
glosses: An instance of ceasing to respond to input.
glosses: A grip, understanding.
examples: text: My first day was a fun hang, but I didn't really do too much. Me and stupid Bob just hung around the casino looking at box and losing money.
ref: 2008, Jim Norton, Happy Endings, Gallery Books, →ISBN, page 25:
text: So how can you set up a hang within a 90-minute time-frame for yourself? Be clear with your friends about timing from the get-go, so they, too, can decide if it's worth their time to even meet up.
ref: 2021 April 14, Jen Kirsch, “A Good Hang Lasts No More Than 90 Minutes”, in InStyle, archived from the original on 21 Oct 2022:
text: He invited us over to his beautiful heritage home in downtown Toronto for a hang.
ref: 2021 October 27, Danielle McTaggart (quoted), Chelsea Brimstin, “Dear Rouge share sentimental video for delicate new single 'Life Goes By And I Can’t Keep Up'”, in Indie88, archived from the original on 21 Oct 2022:
text: Then again, a live stream isn’t supposed to be a tight, scripted lecture. It’s supposed to be a good hang.
ref: 2025 March 17, Andrew Marantz, “The Battle for the Bros”, in The New Yorker, →ISSN:
glosses: A hangout.
examples: text: She might announce something to everyone that makes no sense or tells a story that rambles on and on and makes no point. But for some reason nobody seems to mind. We all just like to listen to The Airhead. She's a fun hang.
ref: 2004, Relient K, Mark Nichols, The Complex Infrastructure Known as the Female Mind, Thomas Nelson, →ISBN, page 76:
text: "I couldn't sit down and play a concert for you or really wow you on any instrument," Mr. Blanco said, estimating that "like 75 percent" of his success comes from being a good hang. "What I can do is meet an artist, know what type of song I think we should make and be their therapist, make everyone feel comfortable."
ref: 2018 July 18, Joe Coscarelli, “How Benny Blanco Became the Most Popular Oddball in Pop Music”, in New York Times:
text: And maaaaaaaybe Superman would be a good hang, though I suspect that'd be a lot like hanging out with a youth pastor.
ref: 2019, Shea Serrano, Arturo Torres, Movies (And Other Things), Grand Central Publishing, →ISBN:
glosses: A person that someone hangs out with.
Derived terms: bear hang
dead hang
get the hang of
give a hang
harness hang syndrome
not a hang