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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

hang one's hat on en · VERB

Meanings

  1. (transitive) To accept or recognize as reliable, tangible, or factual; to depend on.
    • The Nuggets don't have the most dynamic offense nor do they have a real superstar to hang their hat on but their defense is strong. 2013 March 26, Jessica Danielle, “Sports Notes”, in Ebony, retrieved 08 Nov 2015:
    • So far, all we've heard is "Don't you want to see a female president." . . . [I]t's easy to see why Clinton has little else to hang her hat on. She has no real achievements to speak of in her term as senator. 2015 April 10, Bob McWilliams, “Plain Speaking: GOP field of candidates is diverse”, in Capital Gazette, retrieved 08 Nov 2015:
    • "You can't hang your hat on a nonbinding letter of intent." 1998 October 16, Saul Hansell, “Zap, a Nervy Internet Venture, Is Zapped”, in New York Times, retrieved 08 Nov 2015:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
hanging one's hat on Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
hangs one's hat on Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
hung one's hat on Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
hung one's hat on Tense=Past lexicographic

Relateds

bank on · hang one's hat · pin one's hopes on