Word
hanged
US/ˈhæŋd/
UK/hˈæŋd/
Definitions
01execution
v. to be killed by a rope around the neck as a legal punishment.
v. to be executed by suspension from the neck. This specific form is used exclusively for the death penalty or suicide, whereas 'hung' is used for objects.
“In the past, people were hanged for crimes that we now consider minor.”
“The judge decreed that the conspirators be hanged by the neck until dead, a sentence that was carried out the following Monday morning.”
Formal
Usage
Always used in the passive voice when referring to a legal execution.
Pitfall
The prisoner was hung at dawn.
The prisoner was hanged at dawn.
Use 'hanged' for people being executed; use 'hung' for objects like pictures or clothes.
02damned
adj. used to show you are very annoyed or to say 'no' very strongly.
adj. used as a mild, somewhat old-fashioned intensifier to express annoyance or a vehement refusal.
“I'll be hanged if I'm going to pay that much for a cup of coffee.”
“He declared he would be hanged before he ever set foot in that wretched establishment again.”
Informal · Humorous · British English
Teaching tip
This is a fixed idiomatic expression, usually 'I'll be hanged if...'. It is not literal and is used for dramatic effect.
Real-World Examples
“In 2019, he hanged himself in his Malibu home.” Domain
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/hanged