hang around
1‘they spent most of their time hanging around restaurants or bars’
SYNONYMS
loiter in, linger in, wait around in, spend time in, loaf in, loaf about in, loaf in, loaf around in, lounge in, lounge about in, lounge in, lounge around in
waste time, kill time, mark time, while away one's time, while away the time, dally
kick one's heels, cool one's heels, twiddle one's thumbs
frequent, be a regular visitor to, be a regular client of, haunt
informal hang out in
2‘he was hanging around with a fellow called Mick’
SYNONYMS
associate, mix, go around, keep company, spend time, mingle, socialize, fraternize, consort, rub shoulders
North American rub elbows
informal hang out, run around, knock about, knock around, be thick, hobnob
hang over
1‘two girls hung over the rail of the ferry’
SYNONYMS
lean over, bend over, bend downwards, bend forwards, lean forwards, droop forwards, bow over
2‘the threat of budget cuts is hanging over us’
SYNONYMS
be imminent, threaten, approach, be close, be impending, impend, loom, draw near, be in prospect, be on the horizon, be just around the corner
hang something out
‘you can hang out the washing in the laundry room’
SYNONYMS
peg out, peg up, stick up, pin up, drape, fix, fasten
hang fire
‘we should hang fire for things to cool off’
SYNONYMS
delay, hang back, hold back, hold on, stall, stop, pause, cease, halt, discontinue, procrastinate, vacillate, adopt Fabian tactics
informal hang about, hang around, sit tight, hold one's horses
hang out
‘he spent a lot of time hanging out with other musicians’
SYNONYMS
associate, mix, go around, keep company, spend time, mingle, socialize, fraternize, consort, rub shoulders
North American rub elbows
informal hang around, run around, knock about, knock around, be thick, hobnob
British informal hang about
hang back
‘she hung back, scared to face the old woman’
SYNONYMS
stay back, hold back, stay in the background, shrink back, shy away, be reluctant to come forward, hesitate, demur, recoil, turn away
hang on
1‘he hung on to the back of her coat’
SYNONYMS
hold on to, hold fast to, grip, clutch, grasp, hold tightly, cling to, cling on to
literary cleave to
2‘the whole credibility of electoral reform hangs on this decision’
SYNONYMS
depend on, be dependent on, turn on, hinge on, rest on, be based on, be conditional on, be contingent upon, be determined by, be decided by, be conditioned by, revolve around
3‘she hung on his every word’
SYNONYMS
listen closely to, attend closely to, pay close attention to, be very attentive to, concentrate hard on, pay heed to, lend an ear to, give ear to, be rapt by
informal be all ears for
archaic hearken to
4‘I will hang on until there are other people who can take the campaign forward’
SYNONYMS
persevere, hold out, hold on, go on, carry on, keep on, keep going, keep at it, not give up
continue, persist, remain, stay the course, stay with it, struggle on, plod on, plough on
informal soldier on, plug away, peg away, stick at it, stick it out, hang in there, bash on
5‘hang on, let me think for a moment’
SYNONYMS
wait, wait a minute, hold on, stop
hold the line
informal hold your horses, sit tight
British informal hang about
hang about
‘hang about, see what it says here?’
SYNONYMS
wait, hold on, wait a minute
hang on, hold your horses