Episode #4 of the course “Common English phrasal verbs: Part 1” by Angela Boothroyd
hang around
1. To hang around somewhere is to spend time there doing very little.
Informal English.
This phrasal verb can also be hang round and hang about.
Examples of use:
a) Will you stop hanging around the kitchen and go and do something useful!
b) You go on ahead. I’ll hang around here and wait for William to arrive.
c) I’ve been hanging round all day waiting for the plumber to arrive.
2. To hang around with someone is to spend time with them
Informal English.
This phrasal verb can also be hang round and hang about with somebody.
Examples of use:
a) We used to hang around together when we were children.
b) She hangs around with Alice and Jenny.
hang up
1. To hang up something (or hang something up) means to hang something, especially clothes, on a hanger or hook.
Examples of use:
a) Your grandmother is coming to visit today, so don’t forget to hang up your clothes when you tidy your room.
b) Could you hang my coat up, please?
c) I’ll hang your coat up in the study.
2. To hang up also means to end a telephone conversation, especially suddenly or unexpectedly.
If you hang up you replace the part of the telephone you speak into back onto its normal place on the telephone – however, we also use this expression when referring to ending conversations on mobile phones.
Examples of use:
a) Don’t hang up on
b) Don’t buy anything from that company: the lady from their customer service department hung up on me last week.
c) How dare you hang up on me!
d) My girlfriend is angry with me and she keeps hanging up on me.
3. To be hung up is to be very anxious about something and to spend a lot of time thinking about it.
Informal English.
Examples of use:
a) Many women are hung up about their weight.
b) There’s no point getting hung up about it; there’s nothing you can do.
4. A hang-up (noun, informal) is something that a person worries about a lot, or is afraid of.
Examples of use:
a) She has a real hang-up about being seen without her make-up on.
b) He doesn’t have any hang-ups.
Recommended book
“English Phrasal Verbs in Use: Advanced” by Michael McCarthy and Felicity O’Dell
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