1 B1 neutral
To dangle or hang loosely from something, especially an edge or surface.
"A climber was hanging off the edge of the building, waiting to be rescued."
hang off
B1 neutral intransitive
To dangle from something, often precariously, or (informal) to stop doing something.
In plain English
To hang loosely from something, or to stop and wait for a moment.
What does "hang off" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic informal
(British, informal) To stop or wait a moment.
"Hang off a minute — I need to check something before you send that email."
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To hang (dangle) off (from the edge of) something.
Actually means
To hang loosely from something, or to stop and wait for a moment.
Usage tip
Used literally to describe things or people dangling from an edge or surface. In British English informal usage, 'hang off' can also mean 'stop' or 'wait a second', similar to 'hold off'. Not to be confused with 'hang on' which means to hold tightly.
Words that pair with "hang off"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
edge cliff railing side moment
How to conjugate "hang off"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
hang off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
hangs off
he/she/it
Past simple
hung off
yesterday
Past participle
hung off
have + pp
-ing form
hanging off
continuous
Hear "hang off" in the wild
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Other ways to say "hang off"
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