verb

hang

HANG

verb

To attach something at the top so it hangs down freely, or to be suspended in this way.

"They hung the painting above the fireplace."

"A single lightbulb hung from the ceiling."

To kill someone by suspending them by the neck.

"In earlier centuries, thieves could be hanged for their crimes."

To spend time somewhere in a relaxed, informal way (often "hang out").

"We used to hang around the arcade after school."

noun

A general understanding of how to do or use something.

"It took a while, but I finally got the hang of the new software."

How to Use Hang

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo be suspended from something, to execute someone by the neck, or to spend time casually somewhere.

Common mistake

The past tense differs by meaning: "hung" for suspending objects ("I hung the picture"), but "hanged" for executions ("he was hanged for murder").

Common pairings

hang out get the hang of it hang around

Word Forms

hung past tense, hanged past tense, hang plural, hanged plural, hung plural, hangs plural, hangs plural, Hangs plural, Hanghang plural, hangs singular, hang singular, hung singular, hanged singular, hangest singular, hungest singular, hangedst singular, hangeth singular