hanging
- 01 B1 Intermediate
n.the act of killing someone by hanging them with a rope around the neck.
n.the act of executing a person by suspending them by the neck until dead.
Simple“In the past, a hanging was often a public event that many people attended.”
In context“The historian noted that public hangings served as a grim deterrent in eighteenth-century London, drawing massive crowds to the gallows.”
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a large piece of fabric or a decoration that you hang on a wall.
n.a decorative object, such as a tapestry or curtain, suspended from a wall or ceiling.
Simple“The colorful wall hanging made the living room feel much warmer.”
In context“The museum's collection includes several medieval silk hangings that have been carefully preserved to prevent light damage.”
- 03 B1 Intermediate
adj.attached to something above so that the bottom part can move.
adj.suspended from above; attached in a way that allows for free movement or dangling.
Simple“The garden was full of hanging baskets filled with bright red flowers.”
In context“The architect designed a series of hanging gardens to soften the harsh concrete lines of the modern office complex.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
adj.very ugly, unpleasant, or disgusting.
adj.extremely unattractive, repulsive, or of poor quality.
Simple“I'm not eating that burger; it looks absolutely hanging.”
In context“He refused to stay in the hostel, claiming the bathrooms were hanging and the service was even worse.”
Teacher's tipThis is a very informal Britishism; learners should use it only in casual speech with friends to avoid sounding rude.
SynonymsAntonyms
“It makes you feel so worthless you don’t believe you even have the right to breathe,” Spiegelman tells his son, a cigarette hanging from his mouth.”
“Sky City is also unapologetically bleak: there is a near constant effluvium of loneliness, hanging over the novel like the weather.”
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
From Middle English hangynge, honginge, equivalent to hang + -ing. Compare Old English hengen (“hanging”) and hōhing (“hanging”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.