HANG UP

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does hang up mean? 

• HANG UP (verb)
  The verb HANG UP has 3 senses:

1. put a telephone receiver back in its cradle

2. cause to be hanging or suspended

3. interrupt a telephone conversation

  Familiarity information: HANG UP used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• HANG UP (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Put a telephone receiver back in its cradle

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "hang up" is one way to...):

put back; replace (put something back where it belongs)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Cause to be hanging or suspended

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

hang; hang up

Context example:

Hang that picture on the wall

Hypernyms (to "hang up" is one way to...):

fasten; fix; secure (cause to be firmly attached)

Cause:

hang (be suspended or hanging)

Verb group:

hang (be suspended or hanging)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "hang up"):

suspend (hang freely)

sling (hang loosely or freely; let swing)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP

Sentence example:

They hang up the lights from the ceiling

Sense 3

Meaning:

Interrupt a telephone conversation

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "hang up" is one way to...):

break off; break short; cut short (interrupt before its natural or planned end)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

 Context examples 

One more fight, and I am ready to hang up my bow, marry a wife, and take to the fire corner.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“Thank you, Mr. Peggotty,” said I, giving him my outer coat to hang up.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Early in the morning, Gretel had to go out and hang up the cauldron with the water, and light the fire.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

At last he came out; and then I saw my own Dora hang up the bird-cage, and peep into the balcony to look for me, and run in again when she saw I was there, while Jip remained behind, to bark injuriously at an immense butcher's dog in the street, who could have taken him like a pill.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)