verb
Meaning 1
To wait a moment.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, idiomatic, imperative
Examples
- Hang on. Let me check.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Phrase guide
hang on
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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/ˌhæŋ ˈɒn/
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Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
verb
Meaning 2
To hold, grasp, or grip.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, idiomatic
Examples
- Hang on to the handle so you don't drop it.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 3
To keep; to store something for someone.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, idiomatic
Examples
- Hang on to my jacket until I get back.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 4
To pay close attention to, or regard with (possibly obsequious) admiration.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, idiomatic
Examples
- The audience hangs on his every word.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 5
To continually believe in something; to have faith in.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, idiomatic
Examples
- He's got a philosophy he hangs on to.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 6
To persevere.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, idiomatic
Examples
- Just hang on and keep going; this pain won't last forever.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: hang in
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 7
To depend upon.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, idiomatic
Examples
- Everything hangs on whether the boss agrees.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: hang upon
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 8
To weigh down or oppress.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, idiomatic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 9
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see hang, on.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, idiomatic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 10
be persistent, refuse to stop
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- he persisted to call me every night
- The child persisted and kept asking questions
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: persevere, persist, hang in, hold on
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: continue, uphold, carry on, bear on, preserve
Narrower terms: obstinate, ask for it, ask for trouble, plug, plug away, stick to, stick with, follow
verb
Meaning 11
hold the phone line open
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- Please hang on while I get your folder
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: hold the line, hold on
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: expect, look, await, wait
verb
Meaning 12
fix to; attach
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- append a charm to the necklace
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: append, tag on, tack on, tack
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: attach
Narrower terms: subjoin
History
Etymology
No etymology was provided for this word.
Across languages
Translations
47 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Finnish: odottaa — wait a minute
- German: kurz warten — wait a minute
- Hungarian: várj/várjon egy kicsit — wait a minute
- Hungarian: máris jövök/megnézem — wait a minute
- Japanese: どっこい (dokkoi) — wait a minute
- Māori: tāria — wait a minute
- Polish: poczekaj — wait a minute
- Portuguese: esperar aí — wait a minute
- Scottish Gaelic: dad ort — wait a minute
- Swedish: vänta nu — wait a minute
- Tagalog: sandali — wait a minute
- Thai: รอสักครู่ — wait a minute
- Thai: สักครู่ — wait a minute
- Esperanto: alkroĉiĝi — to hold, grasp, or grip
- Esperanto: alkroĉi sin — to hold, grasp, or grip
- Finnish: pitää kiinni — to hold, grasp, or grip
- German: festhalten — to hold, grasp, or grip
- Italian: afferrare — to hold, grasp, or grip
- Portuguese: agarrar — to hold, grasp, or grip
- Portuguese: agarrar-se (em) — to hold, grasp, or grip
- Tagalog: hawak — to hold, grasp, or grip
- Thai: เกาะ (gɔ̀) — to hold, grasp, or grip
- Finnish: säilyttää — to keep; to store something for someone
- German: aufbewahren — to keep; to store something for someone
- German: halten — to keep; to store something for someone
- Portuguese: guardar — to keep; to store something for someone
- Spanish: guardar — to keep; to store something for someone
- Tagalog: pahawak — to keep; to store something for someone
- Tagalog: pabantay — to keep; to store something for someone
- Tagalog: patago — to keep; to store something for someone
- German: hängen an — to pay close attention to, or regard with admiration
- Finnish: pitää kiinni — continually believe in something
- German: festhalten — continually believe in something
- Russian: приде́рживаться (pridérživatʹsja) — continually believe in something
- Tagalog: magtiwala — continually believe in something
- Tagalog: maniwala — continually believe in something
- Finnish: sinnitellä — persevere
- Finnish: purra hammasta — persevere
- German: durchhalten — persevere
- German: dranbleiben — persevere
- Italian: resistere — persevere
- Japanese: 踏ん張る (funbaru) — persevere
- Polish: trwać — persevere
- Russian: держаться (deržatʹsja) — persevere
- Spanish: aguantar — persevere
- Tagalog: magpakatatag — persevere
- Turkish: dayanmak — persevere