hangon (third-person singular simple presenthangs on,present participlehanging on,simple past and past participlehung on)(idiomatic, figurative)
- (chiefly imperative) Towait amoment.
- Coordinate term:hang in
Hang on. Let me check.
- Tohold,grasp, orgrip.
Hang on to the handle so you don't drop it.
1886,Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad,Folk and Fairy Tales, page271:"If you'll come along, thenhang on!" said Hans, and the man had tohang on and limp along on one leg, whether he would or no; and when he tried to tear himself loose, he made it still worse for himself, for he was very nearly falling on his back whenever he struggled to get free.
1913,Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter VII, inMr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y., London:D[aniel] Appleton and Company,→OCLC:Old Applegate, in the stern, just set and looked at me, and Lord James, amidship, waved both arms and kept hollering for help. I took a couple of everlasting big strokes and managed to grab hold of the skiff's rail, close to the stern. Then, for a jiffy, Ihung on and fought for breath.
- To keep; to store something for someone.
Hang on to my jacket until I get back.
- To pay closeattention to, or regard with (possiblyobsequious)admiration.
The audiencehangs on his every word.
- To continuallybelieve in something; to havefaith in.
He's got a philosophy hehangs on to.
- Topersevere.
- Coordinate term:hang in
Justhang on and keep going; this pain won't last forever.
1972,Lou Reed, “Perfect Day”:It's such a perfect day, I'm glad I spend it with you / Such a perfect day you just keep mehanging on / You just keep mehanging on
1973, “Time”, inThe Dark Side of the Moon, performed byPink Floyd:Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way
- Todepend upon.
- Synonym:hang upon
Everythinghangs on whether the boss agrees.
2021 April 29, Gemma L. Williams, Tim Wharton, Caroline Jagoe, “Mutual (Mis)understanding: Reframing Autistic Pragmatic “Impairments” Using Relevance Theory”, inFrontiers in Psychology, volume12,→DOI:Medically, autism is classified as a neurodevelopmental disorder,hanging on a set of observed and reported behavioral characteristics.
- Toweigh down oroppress.
- Used other than figuratively or idiomatically:seehang,on.
to keep; to store something for someone
to pay close attention to, or regard with admiration
continually believe in something
