ENGLISH
REFERENCE

cling to

phr. v..
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford

phr. v.. to hold onto something very tightly because you are scared or do not want to lose it; it can also mean refusing to let go of a belief or hope.

phr. v.. to adhere closely to a physical object or to maintain a tenacious attachment to an idea, memory, or belief despite changing circumstances.


SIMPLE

The child clings to his mother's hand in the crowd.

CONTEXTUAL

Even after the company closed, some employees continued to cling to the hope that they would get their jobs back.

COMPLEX

The ancient ruins cling to the side of the cliff, defying both gravity and the relentless erosion of the coastal winds.

Particles
to
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
cling + to + object
Usage

usually followed by a physical object or an abstract noun like 'hope', 'belief', or 'tradition'.

Teaching tip

highlight the transition from the literal physical sense to the figurative emotional sense; it often implies a level of desperation or resistance to change.

Pitfall

He clings at his old memories.He clings to his old memories.the verb 'cling' always requires the preposition 'to' to connect to its object.

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