hang back


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hang

 (hăng)
v. hung (hŭng), hang·ing, hangs
v.tr.
1. To fasten from above with no support from below; suspend: hung the hat on a peg.
2. To suspend or fasten so as to allow free movement at or about the point of suspension: hang a door.
3. past tense and past participle hanged (hăngd)
a. To execute by hanging: They hanged the prisoner at dawn.
b. Used to express exasperation or disgust: I'll be hanged! Hang it all!
4. To alter the hem of (a garment) so as to fall evenly at a specified height.
5. To furnish, decorate, or appoint by suspending objects around or about: hang a room with curtains.
6. To hold or incline downward; let droop: hang one's head in sorrow.
7. Informal To make (a turn in a specific direction): At the next intersection, hang a right.
8.
a. To attach to a wall: hang wallpaper.
b. To display by attaching to a wall or other structure: hung four new paintings in the foyer.
9. Informal To give (a nickname or label) to someone.
10. To deadlock (a jury) by failing to render a unanimous verdict.
11. Baseball To throw (a pitch) in such a manner as to fail to break.
12. Computers To cause (a computer system) to halt so that input devices, such as the keyboard or the mouse, do not function.
v.intr.
1. To be attached from above with no support from below.
2. To die as a result of hanging.
3. To remain suspended or poised over a place or an object; hover: rain clouds hanging low over the corn fields.
4. To attach oneself as a dependent or an impediment; cling.
5. To incline downward; droop.
6. To depend: Everything hangs on the committee's decision.
7. To pay strict attention: a student who hangs on the professor's every word.
8. To remain unresolved or uncertain: His future hung in the balance.
9. To fit the body in loose lines: a dress that hangs well.
10. To be on display, as in a gallery.
11. Baseball To fail to break or move in the intended way, as a curve ball.
12. To be imminent; loom: the threat hanging over us.
13. To be or become burdensome: Time hung heavy on my hands.
14. Computers To be halted, as a computer system, so that input devices do not function: The power surge caused my computer to hang, so I had to reboot it.
15. Slang
a. To spend one's free time in a certain place. Often used with around or out: liked to hang out at the pool hall.
b. To pass time idly; loiter. Often used with around or out: spent the evening hanging at home; hung out for an hour before going to the play.
c. To keep company; see socially. Often used with around or out: hangs around with kids from a different school.
n.
1. The way in which something hangs.
2. A downward inclination or slope.
3. Particular meaning or significance.
4. Informal The proper method for doing, using, or handling something: finally got the hang of it.
5. A suspension of motion; a slackening.
Phrasal Verbs:
hang back
To be averse; hold back.
hang in Informal
To persevere: decided to hang in despite his illness.
hang off
To hold back; be averse.
hang on
1. To cling tightly to something.
2. To continue persistently; persevere: We'll finish if we can just hang on.
3. To keep a telephone connection open.
4. To wait for a short period of time.
hang together
1. To stand united; stick together: "We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately" (Benjamin Franklin).
2. To constitute a coherent totality: diverse plot lines that did not hang together.
hang up
1. To suspend on a hook or hanger.
2.
a. To replace (a telephone receiver) on its base or cradle.
b. To end a telephone conversation.
3. To delay or impede; hinder: Budget problems hung up the project for months.
4. To become halted or snagged: The fishing line hung up on a rock.
5. Informal To have or cause to have emotional difficulties or inhibitions.
Idioms:
give/care a hang
To be concerned or anxious: I don't give a hang what you do.
hang fire
1. To delay: "They are people who hung fire even through the bloody days of the Hungarian Revolution" (Mark Muro).
2. To be slow in firing, as a gun.
hang in there Informal
To persevere despite difficulties; persist: She hung in there despite pressure to resign.
hang it up Informal
To give up; quit.
hang loose Slang
To stay calm or relaxed.
hang (one's) hat
To settle oneself; take up residence: hung my hat in Chicago.
hang on to
To hold firmly; keep fast: Hang on to your money.
hang (someone) out to dry Informal
To leave (someone) in a difficult situation, especially in taking blame for a failure or an act of wrongdoing.
hang tough Informal
To remain firmly resolved: "We are going to hang tough on this" (Donald T. Regan).
let it all hang out Slang
1. To be completely relaxed.
2. To be completely candid.

[Middle English hongen, from Old English hangian, to be suspended, and from hōn, to hang; see konk- in Indo-European roots.]

hang′a·ble adj.
Usage Note: Hanged, as a past tense and a past participle of hang, is used in the sense of "to put to death by hanging," as in Frontier courts hanged many a prisoner after a summary trial. In our 2008 survey, some 71 percent of the Usage Panel objected to hung used in this sense. The Panel's opposition to this usage has remained strong since balloting began in the 1960s. In all other senses, hung is the preferred form as past tense and past participle, as in I hung my child's picture above my desk.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

hang back

vb
(often foll by: from) to be reluctant to go forward or carry on (with some activity)
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Verb1.hang back - to lag or linger behindhang back - to lag or linger behind; "But in so many other areas we still are dragging"
lag, fall back, fall behind, dawdle - hang (back) or fall (behind) in movement, progress, development, etc.
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
يَتَرَدَّد
držet se zpátky
holde sig tilbagetøve
hika, vera tregur til
geri durmaktereddüt etmek

w>hang back

vi (lit)sich zurückhalten; (fig: = hesitate) → zögern; one little boy was hanging backein kleiner Junge hielt sich immer im Hintergrund; don’t hang back, go and ask herworauf wartest du denn, frag sie doch; they hung back on closing the dealsie zögerten, das Geschäft abzuschließen
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

hang

(hӕŋ) past tense, past participle hung (haŋ) verb
1. to put or fix, or to be put or fixed, above the ground eg by a hook. We'll hang the picture on that wall; The picture is hanging on the wall.
2. to fasten (something), or to be fastened, at the top or side so that it can move freely but cannot fall. A door hangs by its hinges.
3. (past tense, past participle hanged) to kill, or to be killed, by having a rope put round the neck and being allowed to drop. Murderers used to be hanged in the United Kingdom, but no-one hangs for murder now.
4. (often with down or out) to be bending, drooping or falling downwards. The dog's tongue was hanging out; Her hair was hanging down.
5. to bow (one's head). He hung his head in shame.
ˈhanger noun
(usually ˈcoat-hanger) a shaped metal, wooden or plastic frame with a hook on which jackets, dresses etc are hung up.
ˈhanging noun
the (act of) killing a criminal by hanging.
ˈhangings noun plural
curtains or material hung on walls for decoration.
ˈhangman noun
a man whose job it is to hang criminals.
ˈhangover noun
the unpleasant after effects of having had too much alcohol. He woke up with a hangover.
get the hang of
to learn or begin to understand how to do (something). It may seem difficult at first, but you'll get the hang of it after a few weeks.
hang about/around
1. to stand around, doing nothing. I don't like to see all these youths hanging about (street-corners).
2. to be close to (a person) frequently. I don't want you hanging around my daughter.
hang back
to hesitate or be unwilling. The soldiers all hung back when the sergeant asked for volunteers.
hang in the balance
to be in doubt. The success of this project is hanging in the balance.
hang on
1. to wait. Will you hang on a minute – I'm not quite ready.
2. (often with to) to hold. Hang on to that rope.
3. to keep; to retain. He likes to hang on to his money.
hang together
to agree or be consistent. His statements just do not hang together.
hang up
1. to hang (something) on something. Hang up your coat in the cupboard.
2. (often with on) to put the receiver back after a telephone conversation. I tried to talk to her, but she hung up (on me).

She hung the picture up.
The murderer was hanged.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
References in classic literature ?
I find that I really hang back; but I must take my plunge.
Never did he hang back when she sat down, extended her welcoming hands to him, and invited: "Come on, Sing Song Silly." He would come to her, sit down with the loved fragrance of her hair in his nostrils, lay the side of his head against hers, point his nose past her ear, and almost immediately follow her when she began her low singing.
He gave the command, and gave the example, too, by going himself to the handles, but it seems that these men did actually hang back for a moment, looking at each other dubiously before they followed him.
Nagal, who is currently ranked at the 190th position in the ATP rankings, was able to show grit in the fourth set as the scoreline was levelled at 2-2 at one stage, but Federer bounced back by playing an aggressive style of tennis, forcing Nagal to hang back on the court.
I'm told Rocketman star Richard Madden was invited to a swanky bash out at sea but preferred to hang back with his pals.
The higher security and ban on protesters entering the avenue came after police appeared to hang back last week when 100 stores were damaged, looted, or set alight.
The higher security and ban on protesters entering the Champs-Elysees came after police appeared to hang back last week when 100 stores were damaged, looted or set alight.
Henderson said: "Buveur D'Air, I'd be pretty sure, would be going to Aintree, whereas My Tent Or Yours might hang back and wait for Punchestown.
The decision is made to hang back, allow the others to pick each other off, and rely on personal skills to watch and listen undetected.
"I had expected her to hang back a bit, or maybe be sitting in her roped-off area, but once I stepped a little closer to the stage I realized that she was not only in the front row, but had perched on the edge of the stage at Prince's feet, looking up at him adoringly as he sang," Swensson wrote.