Do you have a favorite place or friend you like to hang out with? When you wash your clothes do you like to put them on a line and dry in the sun?
As with many phrasal verbs, hang out has a couple of different meanings depending on the context it is used in. Believe it or not the use of hang out, or spend time” dates back to the 1830 but was more commonly known as hang around.
Years ago, people use to gather at a store or place of business where a sign was hung out and people would gather. The verb hung came from this activity of a hanging sign where people often would gather.
There are 2 meanings of hang out.
Meaning of Hang out 1:
Often times people will use a clothes line and hang out their clothes to dry.
- Our dryer broke down so we had to hang our clothes out on the balcony.
- The clothes are finished washing. Please hang the rugs out on the clothed line and then put the rest of the clothes in the dryer.
Dialog
Brenda:Hey Frank, honey, can you do the laundry tonight?
Frank:Again? I did it 2 days ago.
Brenda:Yeah I know. How about we compromise? I will wash the clothes as long as you hang the clothes out on the line.
Frank:Hmmm. I think it is going to rain, so I don’t think it is a good idea to hang the cloths outside.
Brenda:Ok. I will wash only what we need and if you could hang the clothes on the clothes rack in the basement. Ok?
Frank:Ok, it’s a deal!
Meaning of Hang out 2:
The second meaning refers to people, generally friends, in a particular place or area, for a particular reason, and is usually a place and people they spend a lot of time at and with.
- I really like hanging out at the bookstore and drinking a coffee.
- My friends and I are going to hang out at the park and then go to the swimming pool and hang out there for a while.
Dialog
Joey: Hey man! What’s up? What you up to this weekend?
Ross: Hey. Well I was going to see if you wanted to hang out at the local watering hole?
Joey: Local watering hole? Where have you been hanging out to learn that phrase?
Ross: In the bathroom?
Joey: You were hanging out in the bathroom and learned that phrase?
Ross: Yep. Toilet Tissue vocabulary.
Joey: You need to find someplace else to hang out to learn your words. Have you ever considered hanging out at a library?
Ross: Yep, I was hanging out at the library. I was hanging out in the bathroom at the library.
Other words you can create: noun, verb, adjective, adverb, etc. (ex: mug – mugger)
hang out
hung out
hanging out
Collocations:
We are hanging out at Bills tonight.
We hung out at Bob’s Bar last night.
We hanged out at home.
We hung out at home hanging our clothes on the clothes line.
Related Phrasal Verbs:
Stand around
In the context of, hang out, we use this phrase to say that we are loitering or visiting with someone.
- We hung out at Fred’s and stood around all night talking.
Spend Time
When we spend time with someone or at some place we like.
- We spend a lot of time at the mall and hang out with friends.
Come together
When or where people gather for some reasons.
- We like to come gather at the water cooler and hang out there for some chit chat.
Buddy up
To become friendly toward or with someone you like.
- Bill and I buddied up at the meeting last year and now we hang out all the time after work.
Related idioms:
Hang out to dry
When we abandoned someone and let them take the blame for something
Swing with
When we use this in the context of hang out, this means to spend time with someone and have fun.
Keep house with
In the context of hang out, we use this to say we spend time with someone doing regular everyday activities.
Synonyms (other ways to say):
We are hanging out at Bills tonight.
We hung out at Bob’s Bar last night.
We hanged out at home.
We hung out at home hanging our clothes on the clothes line.
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