# hanging

/ˈhæŋɡɪŋ/ (US) · /hˈæŋɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hanging
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. execution

noun · CEFR B1

the act of killing someone by hanging them with a rope around the neck.

For teachers: the act of executing a person by suspending them by the neck until dead.

- In the past, a hanging was often a public event that many people attended.
- The historian noted that public hangings served as a grim deterrent in eighteenth-century London, drawing massive crowds to the gallows.

### 2. decoration

noun · CEFR B2

a large piece of fabric or a decoration that you hang on a wall.

For teachers: a decorative object, such as a tapestry or curtain, suspended from a wall or ceiling.

- The colorful wall hanging made the living room feel much warmer.
- The museum's collection includes several medieval silk hangings that have been carefully preserved to prevent light damage.

### 3. suspended

adjective · CEFR B1

attached to something above so that the bottom part can move.

For teachers: suspended from above; attached in a way that allows for free movement or dangling.

- The garden was full of hanging baskets filled with bright red flowers.
- The architect designed a series of hanging gardens to soften the harsh concrete lines of the modern office complex.

### 4. disgusting

adjective · CEFR C1 · British English · Slang · Informal

very ugly, unpleasant, or disgusting.

For teachers: extremely unattractive, repulsive, or of poor quality.

- I'm not eating that burger; it looks absolutely hanging.
- He refused to stay in the hostel, claiming the bathrooms were hanging and the service was even worse.

Teaching tip: This is a very informal Britishism; learners should use it only in casual speech with friends to avoid sounding rude.

## Examples

- The food at that old café was absolutely hanging.
- I had to leave the room because the smell of the old bins was hanging.
- After the party, the flat was in a hanging state, with spilled drinks and half-eaten food covering every available surface in the kitchen.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.