Dictionary

hang on en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˌhæŋ ˈɒn/
• (Southern-England) audio

Meanings

1. (figuratively, idiomatic, imperative) To wait a moment.
   • Hang on. Let me check.
2. (figuratively, idiomatic) To hold, grasp, or grip.
   • "If you'll come along, then hang on!" said Hans, and the man had to hang 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. 1886, Peter Christen Asbjø￵rnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 271:
   • Hang on to the handle so you don't drop it.
   • 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, I hung on and fought for breath. 1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter VII, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
3. (figuratively, idiomatic) To keep; to store something for someone.
   • Hang on to my jacket until I get back.
4. (figuratively, idiomatic) To pay close attention to, or regard with (possibly obsequious) admiration.
   • I'm stuck on your heart / I hang on every word you say 1989, Mike Chapman, Holly Knight, “The Best”, performed by Tina Turner:
   • The audience hangs on his every word.
5. (figuratively, idiomatic) To continually believe in something; to have faith in.
   • He's got a philosophy he hangs on to.
6. (figuratively, idiomatic) To persevere.
   • Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way 1973, “Time”, in The Dark Side of the Moon, performed by Pink Floyd:
   • Just hang on and keep going; this pain won't last forever.
   • It's such a perfect day, I'm glad I spend it with you / Such a perfect day you just keep me hanging on / You just keep me hanging on 1972, Lou Reed, “Perfect Day”:
7. (figuratively, idiomatic) To depend upon.
   • Everything hangs on whether the boss agrees.
   • Medically, autism is classified as a neurodevelopmental disorder, hanging on a set of observed and reported behavioral characteristics. 2021 April 29, Gemma L. Williams, Tim Wharton, Caroline Jagoe, “Mutual (Mis)understanding: Reframing Autistic Pragmatic “Impairments” Using Relevance Theory”, in Frontiers in Psychology, volume 12, →DOI:
8. (figuratively, idiomatic) To weigh down or oppress.
9. (figuratively, idiomatic) Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see hang, on.

Forms

Coordinates

hang in

Deriveds

hang on by a thread · hang tight

Relateds

hold on · hold up · hold

Synonyms

store (store something for someone) · keep (store something for someone) · hang upon · keep faith (continually believe in something) · hang in

Translations (47)

es guardar (to keep; to store something for someone) · fi sinnitellä (persevere) · fi odottaa (wait a minute) · fi pitää kiinni (continually believe in something) · tl sandali (wait a minute) · de halten (to keep; to store something for someone) · de aufbewahren (to keep; to store something for someone) · pt agarrar (to hold, grasp, or grip) · eo alkroĉi sin (to hold, grasp, or grip) · tl patago (to keep; to store something for someone) · tl pahawak (to keep; to store something for someone) · tl pabantay (to keep; to store something for someone) · fi pitää kiinni (to hold, grasp, or grip) · gd dad ort (wait a minute) · eo alkroĉiĝi (to hold, grasp, or grip) · pt agarrar-se (em) (to hold, grasp, or grip) · th เกาะ (to hold, grasp, or grip) · hu várj/várjon egy kicsit (wait a minute) · pl poczekaj (wait a minute) · fi säilyttää (to keep; to store something for someone) · tr dayanmak (persevere) · ja どっこい (wait a minute) · de durchhalten (persevere) · ru держаться (persevere) · tl hawak (to hold, grasp, or grip) · ru приде́рживаться (continually believe in something) · it afferrare (to hold, grasp, or grip) · es aguantar (persevere) · th รอสักครู่ (wait a minute) · de festhalten (continually believe in something) · hu máris jövök/megnézem (wait a minute) · de hängen an (to pay close attention to, or regard with admiration) · sv vänta nu (wait a minute) · it resistere (persevere) · pt guardar (to keep; to store something for someone) · ja 踏ん張る (persevere) · fi purra hammasta (persevere) · tl magtiwala (continually believe in something) · tl maniwala (continually believe in something) · pl trwać (persevere) · de dranbleiben (persevere) · mi tāria (wait a minute) · de festhalten (to hold, grasp, or grip) · pt esperar aí (wait a minute) · th สักครู่ (wait a minute) · tl magpakatatag (persevere) · de kurz warten (wait a minute)