HANG BACK

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does hang back mean? 

• HANG BACK (verb)
  The verb HANG BACK has 1 sense:

1. to lag or linger behind

  Familiarity information: HANG BACK used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• HANG BACK (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

To lag or linger behind

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

drag; drop back; drop behind; get behind; hang back; trail

Context example:

But in so many other areas we still are dragging

Hypernyms (to "hang back" is one way to...):

dawdle; fall back; fall behind; lag (hang (back) or fall (behind) in movement, progress, development, etc.)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s PP

 Context examples 

Perhaps just at present he may be undecided; the smallness of your fortune may make him hang back; his friends may all advise him against it.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)