from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Hang \Hang\ (h[a^]ng), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Hanged} (h[a^]ngd)
or {Hung} (h[u^]ng); p. pr. & vb. n. {Hanging}.
Usage: The use of hanged is preferable to that of hung, when
reference is had to death or execution by suspension,
and it is also more common.] [OE. hangen, hongien, v.
t. & i., AS. hangian, v. i., fr. h[=o]n, v. t. (imp.
heng, p. p. hongen); akin to OS. hang[=o]n, v. i., D.
hangen, v. t. & i., G. hangen, v. i, h[aum]ngen, v.
t., Icel. hanga, v. i., Goth. h[=a]han, v. t. (imp.
ha['i]hah), h[=a]han, v. i. (imp. hahaida), and perh.
to L. cunctari to delay. [root]37. ]
1. To suspend; to fasten to some elevated point without
support from below; -- often used with up or out; as, to
hang a coat on a hook; to hang up a sign; to hang out a
banner.
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2. To fasten in a manner which will allow of free motion upon
the point or points of suspension; -- said of a pendulum,
a swing, a door, gate, etc.
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3. To fit properly, as at a proper angle (a part of an
implement that is swung in using), as a scythe to its
snath, or an ax to its helve. [U. S.]
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4. To put to death by suspending by the neck; -- a form of
capital punishment; as, to hang a murderer.
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5. To cover, decorate, or furnish by hanging pictures,
trophies, drapery, and the like, or by covering with paper
hangings; -- said of a wall, a room, etc.
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Hung be the heavens with black. --Shak.
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And hung thy holy roofs with savage spoils.
--Dryden.
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6. To paste, as paper hangings, on the walls of a room.
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7. To hold or bear in a suspended or inclined manner or
position instead of erect; to droop; as, he hung his head
in shame.
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Cowslips wan that hang the pensive head. --Milton.
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8. To prevent from reaching a decision, esp. by refusing to
join in a verdict that must be unanimous; as, one
obstinate juror can hang a jury.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
{To hang down}, to let fall below the proper position; to
bend down; to decline; as, to hang down the head, or,
elliptically, to hang the head.
{To hang fire} (Mil.), to be slow in communicating fire
through the vent to the charge; as, the gun hangs fire;
hence, to hesitate, to hold back as if in suspense.
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from
Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003)
hung
adj.
[from `hung up'; common] Equivalent to {wedged}, but more common at
Unix/C sites. Not generally used of people. Syn. with {locked up},
{wedged}; compare {hosed}. See also {hang}. A hung state is
distinguished from {crash}ed or {down}, where the program or system is
also unusable but because it is not running rather than because it is
waiting for something. However, the recovery from both situations is
often the same. It is also distinguished from the similar but more
drastic state {wedged} -- hung software can be woken up with easy
things like interrupt keys, but wedged will need a kill -9 or even
reboot.