hanging

English

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈhæŋɪŋ/
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Rhymes: -æŋɪŋ

Etymology 1

From Middle English hanginge, hangynge, altered variant of Middle English hanginde, hangende, hangand, from Old English hangende, hangiende, from Proto-Germanic *hangijandz, present participle of *hangijaną (“to hang”), equivalent to hang +‎ -ing. Cognate with Dutch hangend (“hanging”), German hängend (“hanging”), Swedish hängande (“hanging”).

Verb

hanging

  1. present participle of hang

Adjective

hanging (not comparable)

  1. Suspended.
    The hanging vines made the house look older than it was.
  2. (chess, of a piece) Unprotected and exposed to capture.
  3. (baseball, slang, of an off-speed pitch) Hittable; poorly executed by the pitcher hence relatively easy to hit.
    hanging breaking ball
    hanging slider
  4. (Britain, slang, of a person) ugly; very unattractive
    • 2007, Summer Scars (film screenplay)
      MUGSEY: Yeah. You fancy ‘im don’ you.
      LEANNE: No I don’t. Shut yer mouth.
      MUGSEY: Your mum said he’s gonna end up just like his dad.
      LEANNE: She don’ even know Bingo. Anyway, I don’t fancy ‘im, ‘e’s hanging.
Derived terms
Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English hangynge, honginge, equivalent to hang +‎ -ing. Compare Old English hengen (“hanging”) and hōhing (“hanging”).

Noun

hanging (countable and uncountable, plural hangings)

  1. (uncountable) The act of hanging a person (or oneself) by the neck in order to execute that person (or to commit suicide).
    • 1728, Otway, Thomas, “The Atheist, or, the Second Part of the Solider's Fortune”, in The Works of Mr. Thomas Otway‎, volume 2, London, page 37:
      No, Sir, 'tis fear of Hanging. Who would not ſteal, or do Murder, every time his Fingers itch'd at it, were it not for fear of the Gallows?
    Hanging is the punishment for one convicted of war crimes, there.
  2. (countable) A sometimes public event at which a person is hanged.
    The hanging of the bandits was attended by the whole village.
  3. (countable) Anything that is hung as a decorative element (such as curtains, gobelins or posters).
    The various hangings on that Christmas tree look nice.
  4. (uncountable) The way in which hangings (decorations) are arranged.
    I dislike the cramped hanging in the gallery of 18th century painters.
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