[hands up]{informal} Hold up your hands! Put your hands up high andkeep them there! — Used as a command. •/The sheriff pointed his gun at theoutlaws and called out, "Hands up!"/ Syn.: REACH FOR THE SKY.

[hand something to someone on a silver platter]{v. phr.} To give aperson a reward that has not been earned. •/The lazy student expected hisdiploma to be handed to him on a silver platter./

[hand to hand]{adv. phr.} Close together, near enough to hit eachother. •/The two soldiers fought hand to hand until one fell badlywounded./ •/In modern naval warfare, men seldom fight hand to hand./Compare: FACE TO FACE.

[hand-to-hand]{adj.} Close to each other; near enough to hit eachother. •/The result of the battle was decided in hand-to-hand combat./•/When the police tried to break up the riot, there was hand-to-hand fightingwith fists, stones, and clubs./ Compare: FACE-TO-FACE.

[hand-to-mouth]{adj.} Not providing for the future; living from day today; not saving for later. •/Many native tribes lead a hand-to-mouthexistence, content to have food for one day at a time./ •/John is not asaving boy; he spends his money without thought for the future, and lives ahand-to-mouth life./ See: LIVE FROM HAND TO MOUTH.

[handwriting on the wall]{n. phr.} A sign that something bad willhappen. •/When Bill’s team lost four games in a row, he saw the handwritingon the wall./ •/John’s employer had less and less work for him; John couldread the handwriting on the wall and looked for another job./

[hang] See: GO HANG, GIVE A HANG or CARE A HANG, GIVE ONE ENOUGH ROPE, ANDHE WILL HANG HIMSELF, LEAVE HANGING or LEAVE HANGING IN THE AIR.

[hang around]{v.}, {informal} 1. To pass time or stay near withoutany real purpose or aim; loaf near or in. •/The principal warned the studentsnot to hang around the corner drugstore after school./ Compare: HANG OUT(1).2. To spend time or associate, •/Jim hangs around with some boys who live inhis neighborhood./

[hang back] or [hang off] or [hang behind] 1. To stay some distancebehind or away, be unwilling to move forward. •/Mary offered the little girlcandy, but she was shy and hung back./ 2. To hesitate or be unwilling to dosomething. •/Lou wanted Fred to join the club, but Fred hung off./

[hang behind] See: HANG BACK(1).

[hang by a hair] See: HANG BY A THREAD.

[hang by a thread] or [hang by a hair] {v. phr.} To depend on avery small thing; be in doubt. •/For three days Tom was so sick that his lifehung by a thread./ •/As Joe got ready to kick a field goal, the result ofthe game hung by a hair./ Compare: HANG IN THE BALANCE.

[hanger] See: CREPE HANGER.

[hang fire]{v. phr.} 1. To fail or be slow in shooting or firing.•/Smith pulled the trigger, but the gun hung fire and the deer escaped./ 2.To be slow in beginning; to be delayed; to wait. •/The boys' plans fororganizing a scout troop hung fire because they could not find a man to bescoutmaster./

[hang heavy] or [hang heavy on one’s hands] {v. phr.} To passslowly or uninterestingly; be boring with little to do. •/The vacation timehung heavy on Dick’s hands because all his friends were away at camp./Compare: ON ONE’S HANDS.

[hang in effigy] or [burn in effigy] {v. phr.} To hang or burn afigure, usually a stuffed dummy, representing a person who is disliked orscorned. •/When the high school team lost the championship game, the coachwas hung in effigy by the townspeople./ •/During World War II, Hitler wassometimes burned in effigy in the United States./

[hang in the balance]{v. phr.} To have two equally possible results;to be in doubt; be uncertain. •/Until Jim scored the winning touchdown, theoutcome of the game hung in the balance./ •/She was very sick and her lifehung in the balance for several days./ Compare: HANG BY A THREAD.

[hang in (there)]{v. phr.}, {slang}, {informal} To persevere;not to give up; to stick to a project and not lose faith or courage. •/Hangin there old buddy; the worst is yet to come./

[hang it]{interj.}, {informal} An exclamation used to expressannoyance or disappointment. •/Oh, hang it! I forgot to bring the book Iwanted to show you./ •/Hang it all, why don’t you watch where you’regoing?/

[hang off] See: HANG BACK.

[hang on]{v.} 1. To hold on to something, usually tightly. •/Jackalmost fell off the cliff, but managed to hang on until help came./ Syn.:HOLD ON(1). 2a. To continue doing something; persist. •/The grocer was losingmoney every day, but he hung on, hoping that business would improve./Compare: HOLD OUT, STICK OUT. 2b. To hold a lead in a race or other contestwhile one’s opponents try to rally. •/The favorite horse opened an early leadand hung on to win as two other horses almost passed him in the finalstretch./ •/Bunning, staked to a 6-0 lead in the first inning, hung on toheat the Dodgers 6-4./ 3. To continue to give trouble or cause suffering.•/Lou’s cold hung on from January to April./ 4. To continue listening onthe telephone. •/Jerry asked John, who had called him on the phone, to hungon while he ran for a pencil and a sheet of paper./ Compare: HOLD ON(3).

[hang one on]{v. phr.}, {slang} 1. To give a heavy blow to; hithard. •/The champion hung one on his challenger in the second round andknocked him out of the ring./ 2. To get very drunk. •/After Smith lost hisjob, he went to a bar and hung one on./

[hang one’s head]{v. phr.} To bend your head forward in shame.•/Johnny hung his head when the teacher asked him if he broke the window./Compare: HIDE ONE’S HEAD.

[hang on the words of] also [hang on the lips of] {v. phr.} Tolisten very attentively to. •/Ann hangs on every word of her history teacherand takes very careful notes. / •/As he went on with his speech, hisauditors, deeply interested, hung on his lips./

[hang on to]{v.} To hold tightly; keep firmly. •/The child hung onto its mother’s apron, and would not let go./ •/John did not like his job,but decided to hang on to it until he found a better one./

[hang on to one’s mother’s apron strings] See: TIED TO ONE’S MOTHER’S APRONSTRINGS.

[hang on to your hat] or [hold on to your hat] or [hold your hat]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. Watch out; be prepared. — Used as a command,usually to warn of an unexpected action. •/"Hold on to your hat," said Jim ashe stepped on the gas and the car shot forward./ 2. Get ready for a surprise. — Used as a command, usually to warn of unexpected news. •/"Hold on to yourhat," said Mary. "Jim asked me to marry him."/

[hang out]{v.} 1. {slang} To spend your time idly or loungingabout. •/The teacher complained that Joe was hanging out in poolrooms insteadof doing his homework./ Compare: HANG AROUND(1). 2. {slang} To live;reside. •/Two policemen stopped the stranger and asked him where he hungout./ 3. To reach out farther than the part below. •/The branches of thetrees hung out over the road./ •/The upper floor of that house hangs outabove the first./

[hang out one’s shingle]{v. phr.}, {informal} To give publicnotice of the opening of an office, especially a doctor’s or lawyer’s office,by putting up a small signboard. •/The young doctor hung out his shingle andsoon had a large practice./