dangling

IPA/ˈdæŋ.ɡəl/
KK[dˈæŋɡəlɪŋ]IPA/ˈdæŋ.ɡəl/

dangling — verb

  • danglingpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • danglings3rd person singular
  • danglinging-ing form
  • danglingedpast simple

1. to hang or swing freely in the air, often from above; or to hold an object so th

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1
Definition

to hang or swing freely in the air, often from above; or to hold an object so that it swings freely.

Example

A silver pendant was dangling from Ayana's neck as she danced.

intransitive: dangle from [something]

Esteban dangled the toy mouse above the kitten to make it jump.

transitive: dangle [object] above/over [target]

Common collocations
  • dangle from
  • dangle over
  • legs dangling
  • keys dangling
Synonyms
  • hang

    more general; can describe any suspended position, not just freely-swinging ones

  • swing

    emphasizes the back-and-forth motion rather than the hanging-down position

  • suspend

    more formal; describes the action of holding something in mid-air, usually deliberately

Grammar Patterns

dangle from [something]

dangle [object] in front of/over [something]

Usage Note

Often used of small objects (keys, earrings, ropes) or body parts (legs, arms) hanging from a higher point. The subject of the intransitive use is the thing that hangs, not the person.

Common Mistakes

She dangled on the rope from the cliff.
She hung from the rope on the cliff.
for a whole person hanging by their hands, English prefers 'hang', not 'dangle'.

2. to keep showing someone a reward or opportunity to make them want it and act in

2.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to keep showing someone a reward or opportunity to make them want it and act in a certain way.

Example

The manager dangled a big bonus in front of Sophia to keep her on the team.

dangle [reward] in front of [person]

Politicians often dangle the promise of lower taxes before an election.

common subject: politicians; common object: promise

Common collocations
  • dangle a bonus
  • dangle a promise
  • dangle the prospect of
  • dangle in front of
Synonyms
  • offer

    neutral; doesn't imply the manipulative quality of dangling

  • tempt with

    focuses on the desire raised; 'dangle' focuses on the act of showing the reward

  • hold out

    similar use, slightly more formal; 'hold out the prospect of'

Grammar Patterns

dangle [something] in front of/before [someone]

Usage Note

Object must be something the listener wants (money, a job, a chance, a holiday). Often suggests the offer is partly manipulative — the person dangling controls whether the reward actually arrives.

Common Mistakes

The boss dangled extra work to me.
The boss dangled a promotion in front of me.
only attractive things can be dangled, not burdens; and the structure uses 'in front of', not 'to'.

3. in the sport of ice hockey, to handle the puck with tricky stick moves so as to

3.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

in the sport of ice hockey, to handle the puck with tricky stick moves so as to slip past a defender.

Example

Minh dangled the defender at the blue line and fired a shot past the goalie.

informal hockey slang; object is the defender

The young winger dangled two players before sliding the puck to a teammate.

dangle [multiple defenders] before [pass/shot]

Common collocations
  • dangle the defender
  • dangle past
  • dangle the goalie
Synonyms
  • deke

    very close — also ice-hockey slang for fooling a defender with a fake move

  • stickhandle past

    describes the technical action; 'dangle' is the colourful slang version

Grammar Patterns

dangle [opponent/defender]

Usage Note

Strictly ice-hockey slang heard in North American game commentary; outside this context it will not be understood. The action involves quick puck control ('stickhandling'), not body contact.

Common Mistakes

He dangled the football past three defenders.
He dribbled the football past three defenders.
this verb is specific to ice hockey; soccer uses 'dribble'.

dangling — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four describe an object held above the ground, but each highlights a different aspect. 'Hang' is the most general — anything held from above hangs, whether or not it moves. 'Dangle' adds the picture of freely swinging in mid-air, usually of a small object on a string or a body part (legs over a wall, keys from a finger). 'Swing' focuses on the back-and-forth motion itself rather than the suspended state — a child swings on a rope, even when the rope already hangs. 'Suspend' is the most formal and emphasizes the deliberate act of holding something in place in mid-air, often by mechanical means. A washing line hangs; the wet socks on it dangle; the laundry can be suspended above the floor by a pulley.

dangle ↗hang ↗swing ↗suspend ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • leave [someone] dangling
  • let [something] dangle

Prepositions

Etymology

Scandinavian (likely Danish)Middle EnglishModern English

Likely from a Scandinavian source — compare Danish 'dangle' meaning 'to swing loosely' — and entered English in the mid-1500s. The form is partly imitative, suggesting the rhythmic swing of a hanging object. By the 1800s the figurative sense 'to offer as bait' developed from the older literal meaning. The North American ice-hockey slang sense is a 20th-century coinage.