to hang on the words

Hang \Hang\, v. i.
   1. To be suspended or fastened to some elevated point without
      support from below; to dangle; to float; to rest; to
      remain; to stay.
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   2. To be fastened in such a manner as to allow of free motion
      on the point or points of suspension.
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   3. To die or be put to death by suspension from the neck.
      [R.] "Sir Balaam hangs." --Pope.
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   4. To hold for support; to depend; to cling; -- usually with
      on or upon; as, this question hangs on a single point.
      "Two infants hanging on her neck." --Peacham.
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   5. To be, or be like, a suspended weight.
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            Life hangs upon me, and becomes a burden. --Addison.
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   6. To hover; to impend; to appear threateningly; -- usually
      with over; as, evils hang over the country.
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   7. To lean or incline; to incline downward.
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            To decide which way hung the victory. --Milton.
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            His neck obliquely o'er his shoulder hung. --Pope.
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   8. To slope down; as, hanging grounds.
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   9. To be undetermined or uncertain; to be in suspense; to
      linger; to be delayed.
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            A noble stroke he lifted high,
            Which hung not, but so swift with tempest fell
            On the proud crest of Satan.          --Milton.
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   10. (Cricket, Tennis, etc.) Of a ball: To rebound
       unexpectedly or unusually slowly, due to backward spin on
       the ball or imperfections of ground.
       [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

   11. (Baseball) to fail to curve, break, or drop as intended;
       -- said of pitches, such as curve balls or sliders.
       [PJC]

   12. (Computers) to cease to operate normally and remain
       suspended in some state without performing useful work;
       -- said of computer programs, computers, or individual
       processes within a program; as, when using Windows 3.1,
       my system would hang and need rebooting several times a
       day.

   Note: this situation could be caused by bugs within an
         operating system or within a program, or
         incompatibility between programs or between programs
         and the hardware.
         [PJC]

   {To hang around}, to loiter idly about.

   {To hang back}, to hesitate; to falter; to be reluctant. "If
      any one among you hangs back." --Jowett (Thucyd.).

   {To hang by the eyelids}.
       (a) To hang by a very slight hold or tenure.
       (b) To be in an unfinished condition; to be left
           incomplete.

   {To hang in doubt}, to be in suspense.

   {To hang on} (with the emphasis on the preposition), to keep
      hold; to hold fast; to stick; to be persistent, as a
      disease.

   {To hang on the lips} {To hang on the words}, etc., to be
      charmed by eloquence.

   {To hang out}.
       (a) To be hung out so as to be displayed; to project.
       (b) To be unyielding; as, the juryman hangs out against
           an agreement; to hold out. [Colloq.]
       (c) to loiter or lounge around a particular place; as,
           teenageers tend to hang out at the mall these days.
           

   {To hang over}.
       (a) To project at the top.
       (b) To impend over.

   {To hang to}, to cling.

   {To hang together}.
       (a) To remain united; to stand by one another. "We are
           all of a piece; we hang together." --Dryden.
       (b) To be self-consistent; as, the story does not hang
           together. [Colloq.]

   {To hang upon}.
       (a) To regard with passionate affection.
       (b) (Mil.) To hover around; as, to hang upon the flanks
           of a retreating enemy.
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