cling

/klɪŋ/ (bre, ipa) · /klɪŋ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkliŋ/ (ame, mw)

cling — 動詞

  • clingpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • clingshe / she / it
  • clungpast simple
  • clinging-ing form

1. to hold on very tightly to someone or something with your hands or arms, or to s

1.動詞不及物C2
釋義

緊抓；緊握

用手臂或手緊抓不放，或牢牢附著在表面上

to hold on very tightly to someone or something with your hands or arms, or to stick firmly to a surface and resist being pulled off.

例句

The wet shirt clung to Ravi's back after he ran home through the rain.

Ravi 淋雨跑回家後，濕透的襯衫緊緊貼在他的背上。

collocation: cling to + body part for physical sticking

The toddler clung to her father's hand as cars rushed past the crosswalk.

車子快速通過行人穿越道時，年幼的孩子緊緊抓住父親的手。

同義詞
  • hold

    more general; 'hold' does not imply tightness or desperation the way 'cling' does.

  • grip

    suggests a very firm, deliberate hold, often with hands; less emotional than 'cling'.

  • clutch

    implies a sudden, anxious grab, often out of fear.

反義詞
  • release

    to let go of something deliberately.

  • let go

    to stop holding; the opposite action of clinging.

文法句型

cling + to/onto + noun phrase

用法筆記

Frequently used with a preposition ('to', 'onto') that names the thing or person being held. The past form 'clung' is irregular — do not add '-ed'.

常見錯誤

❌She clinged to the railing.
✅She clung to the railing.
💡'cling' is irregular; the past tense is 'clung', not 'clunged' or 'clinged'.

2. to remain physically near someone or something, often staying close for comfort,

2.動詞不及物B2
釋義

緊靠；貼近

緊密靠近某物或某人，常為了安全或舒適

to remain physically near someone or something, often staying close for comfort, safety, or practical reasons.

例句

The small fishing village clings to the edge of the narrow fjord.

那座小漁村緊靠在狹窄峽灣的邊緣。

figurative use: a village clinging to a geographic feature

During the thunderstorm the puppies clung close together under the porch.

雷雨期間，小狗狗們緊緊依偎在門廊下。

同義詞
  • stay close

    more neutral and general; 'cling' suggests a tighter or more persistent closeness.

  • hug

    only for people; implies an embrace rather than positional proximity.

反義詞
  • drift away

    to move slowly apart, the opposite of staying close.

  • separate

    to move apart from something or someone.

文法句型

cling + adverb/preposition (close, near, together)

用法筆記

Often describes objects or natural features positioned close to something (a village clinging to a hillside) rather than deliberate human action of holding.

常見錯誤

❌They clung together for warmth during the hike.' (This is sense 1 — literal hold)
✅The cabins clung to the mountainside in a single row.
💡sense 2 is about position or proximity, not grasping.

3. to refuse to give up a belief, idea, hope, or relationship, holding on to it bec

3.動詞不及物B2
釋義

依戀；堅守

因情感需要而不願放棄信念、希望或人

to refuse to give up a belief, idea, hope, or relationship, holding on to it because you need it emotionally.

例句

After the earthquake, the survivors clung to the hope of finding loved ones alive.

地震過後，倖存者緊抱著能找到親人活著的希望。

collocation: cling to + hope/idea/belief

The elderly man still clings to the traditions he learned as a child.

那位老先生仍然堅守著他從小學到的傳統。

同義詞
  • hold on to

    slightly less intense than 'cling'; can be both physical and emotional.

  • adhere to

    more formal; suggests following a principle or rule rather than emotional need.

  • cleave to

    formal or literary; suggests strong, faithful attachment.

反義詞
  • let go of

    to release emotionally; to stop holding onto a belief or hope.

  • abandon

    to give up a belief, idea, or person deliberately.

文法句型

cling + to + abstract noun (hope, belief, idea, person)

用法筆記

Distinguish from verb/1 HOLD: sense 3 takes abstract objects (hope, belief, tradition) rather than physical ones. Distinguish from verb/2 STAY CLOSE: sense 3 is about emotional dependence or loyalty, not physical position.

常見錯誤

❌She clung the idea that she could succeed.
✅She clung to the idea that she could succeed.
💡'cling' is intransitive and always needs a preposition when taking an object.

cling — 名詞