hanger en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- [hæŋɚ] ~ [hæə̯ŋɚ] ~ [hɛə̯ŋɚ] (Southern-US)
- (US) audio
- /ˈhaŋɡə/ without the NG-coalescence
- [heɪŋɚ] ~ [hɛːŋɚ] ~ [hæŋɚ] Western US, Midland US, Western Pennsylvania, New England
- /ˈhaŋəɾ/ (Scotland)
- [hɛə̯ŋɚ] (Inland-Northern-American)
- /ˈhaŋə/ NG-coalescence
- /heɪŋɚ/ (US)
- audio
- [heɪ̯ŋɚ] ~ [heːŋɚ] North-Central US
- /hæŋɚ/ Western US, Midland US, Western Pennsylvania, New England
- /ˈhaŋə/ (British, Southern, Standard, Wales)
- /hæŋɚ/ (US)
- /hæŋɚ/ (Inland-Northern-American)
- /hæŋɚ/ (Southern-US)
- /ˈhɛŋə/ (New-Zealand)
- /heɪŋɚ/ Western US, Midland US, Western Pennsylvania, New England
- /hæŋɚ/ New York City, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Baltimore
- /ˈhæŋə/ (Australia)
- /heɪŋɚ/ North-Central US
- [hɹæŋɚ] New York City, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Baltimore
- /ˈhæŋə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English hanger, haunger, hangere, equivalent to hang + -er. Cognate with West Frisian hinger (“hanger”), Dutch hanger (“hanger”), German Hänger (“hanger”), Henker (“hangman”), Danish hænger (“hanger”), Norwegian henger (“hanger”), Swedish hängare (“hanger”).
Meanings
- One who hangs, or causes to be hanged; a hangman, paper hanger, etc.
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A person who attempts suicide by hanging.
With the jumpers and the drowners, McGee, you don't pick up a pattern. That's because a jumper damned near always makes it the first time, and a drowner is usually almost as successful, about the same rate as hangers.
2017, Ronald V. Clarke, Suicide: Closing the Exits:
- That by which a thing is suspended. ▸ A strap hung to the girdle, by which a dagger or sword is suspended.
- That by which a thing is suspended. ▸ A bridle iron.
- That by which a thing is suspended. ▸ A clothes hanger.
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(abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis) That by which a thing is suspended. ▸ Ellipsis of derailleur hanger
alt of derailleur hanger
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(historical) A short and broad backsword, worn so to hang at the side, especially popular in the 18th century.
He was a stout old gentleman, with a weather-beaten countenance; he wore a laced doublet, broad belt and hanger, high-crowned hat and feather, red stockings, and high-heeled shoes, with roses in them.
1819, Washington Irving, The Sketch Book, Rip Van Winkle:When he called ‘Watch!’ they cut him on the head with a hanger or short cutlass and fired a pistol so close to his face he was thought to be powder-burned for life.
2012, Jerry White, London in the Eighteenth Century, Bodley Head, published 2017, page 440:They howcvci so they began to cut directions, thinkii some blow or other must certainly reach him and kill him; still they could not perceive that their hangers met any thing but mere air.
1828, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, volume II, London: William Harrison Ainsworth, page 50:I made an offer to go for my books and chest of clothes, but he swore I should not move out of his sight; and if I did he would cut my throat, at the same time taking his hanger.
1789, Olaudah Equiano, chapter 4, in The Interesting Narrative, volume I:[H]is shoulder was graced with a broad buff belt, from whence depended a huge hanger with a hilt like that of a backsword […].
1751, [Tobias] Smollett, The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle […], volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), London: Harrison and Co., […], →OCLC:
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(UK) A steep, wooded slope.
About the tenth of July in the same Summer a pair of sparrow-hawks bred in an old crow's nest on a low beech in the same hanger; and as their brood, which was numerous, began to grow up, became so daring and ravenous, that they were a terror to all the dames in the village that had chickens or ducklings under their care.
1789, Gilbert White, The Natural History of Selborne, Page 187:'Twould blow like this through holt and hanger
1896, A. E. Housman, A Shropshire Lad, On Wenlock Edge the wood's in trouble:
- (slang) A hanging pitch; a pitch (typically a breaking ball or slider) that is poorly executed, hence easy to hit.
- (informal, qualifier:Australian rules football) Synonym of spectacular mark.
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A device secured by a bolt and used to attach a carabiner.
In marine areas (sea cliffs), even stainless steel bolts and hangers corrode rapidly.
2021, John Long, Bob Gaines, Rock Climbing: The Art of Safe Ascent, page 118:Climbers use anchors or bolts that are already placed in the rock. They clip onto them with metal hangers. Climbers don't need to place the anchors themselves, so they can focus on making the difficult climbing moves.
2012, Christine Dugan, Defying Gravity! Rock Climbing, page 37:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| hangers | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
hanger and flogger · straphanger · hanger steak · hangar queen · casing hanger · hanger-outer · cliff hanger · on-hanger · hangar rash · hangar rat · hanger-on · goalhanger · coat-hanger · cliffhanger · a hanger and a flogger · paperhanger · post hanger · clothing hanger · pothanger · wall hanger · bottle hanger · hanger on · monkey hanger · crapehanger · mech hanger · cliff-hanger · onhanger · door hanger · crepehanger · apehanger · hangerless · busy as a one-armed paper hanger · doorhanger
Synonyms
Translations (10)
hy կախիչ (that by which a thing is suspended) · fi kannatin (that by which a thing is suspended) · fi hukari (short, curved sword) · bg кортик (short, curved sword) · fi roikkusyöttö (baseball: hanging pitch) · fi metsäinen jyrkänne (steep, wooded slope) · de Kleiderbügel (that by which a thing is suspended) · fi kannatin (strap hung to the girdle, by which a dagger or sword is suspended) · fi ripustin (that by which a thing is suspended) · bg закачалка (that by which a thing is suspended)