hang on

See also: hangon

English

Verb

hang on (third-person singular simple present hangs on, present participle hanging on, simple past and past participle hung on)

(idiomatic, chiefly imperative) To wait a moment.
Hang on. Let me check.
To hold, grasp, or grip.
Hang on to the handle so you don't drop it.
- 1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, H.L. Brækstad, transl., Folk and Fairy Tales, page 271:
  "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.
- 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, chapter 7, in Mr. Pratt's Patients:
  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.
(idiomatic) To keep; to store something for someone.
Hang on to my jacket until I get back.
(idiomatic) To pay close attention to, or regard with (possibly obsequious) admiration.
The audience hangs on his every word.
(idiomatic) To continually believe in something; to have faith in.
He's got a philosophy he hangs on to.
(idiomatic) To persevere.
Just hang on and keep going; this pain won't last forever.
- 1972, Lou Reed (lyrics and music), “Perfect Day”:
  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
- 1973, “Time”, in The Dark Side of the Moon, performed by Pink Floyd:
  Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way
(idiomatic) To depend upon.
Synonym: hang upon
Everything hangs on whether the boss agrees.

Synonyms

(wait a moment): See also Thesaurus:wait
(hold, grasp, or grip): See also Thesaurus:grasp
(store something for someone): keep, store
(continually believe in something): keep faith
(persevere): See also Thesaurus:persevere

Translations

wait a minute

Finnish: odottaa (fi)
German: kurz warten
Hungarian: várj/várjon egy kicsit (literally “wait a bit [informal/formal]”), máris jövök/megnézem (literally “I’ll come/check it out right away”)
Japanese: どっこい (dokkoi)
Maori: tāria
Portuguese: esperar aí
Scottish Gaelic: dad ort
Swedish: vänta nu
Tagalog: sandali (tl)

to hold, grasp, or grip

Esperanto: alkroĉiĝi, alkroĉi sin
Finnish: pitää kiinni
German: festhalten (de)
Italian: afferrare (it)
Portuguese: agarrar (pt), agarrar-se (em)
Tagalog: hawak

to keep; to store something for someone

Finnish: säilyttää (fi)
German: aufbewahren (de), halten (de)
Portuguese: guardar (pt)
Spanish: guardar (es)
Tagalog: pahawak, pabantay, patago

to pay close attention to, or regard with admiration

German: hängen an (de)

continually believe in something

Finnish: pitää kiinni
German: festhalten (de)
Russian: приде́рживаться (ru) (pridérživatʹsja) (взглядов)
Tagalog: magtiwala, maniwala

persevere

Finnish: sinnitellä (fi), purra hammasta
German: durchhalten (de), dranbleiben
Russian: держаться (ru) (deržatʹsja)
Spanish: aguantar (es)
Tagalog: magpakatatag

Anagrams

Hong'an