cling

¹ American  

[kling] / klɪŋ /

verb (used without object)

clung, clinging

1. to adhere closely; stick to.

   The wet paper clings to the glass.

2. to hold tight, as by grasping or embracing; cleave.

   The children clung to each other in the dark.

   Synonyms:

   hug, grab, clutch

3. to be or remain close.

   The child clung to her mother's side.

4. to remain attached, as to an idea, hope, memory, etc..

   Despite the predictions, the candidate clung to the belief that he would be elected.

5. to cohere.

---

noun

1. the act of clinging; adherence; attachment.

cling ² American  

[kling] / klɪŋ /

noun

1. a clingstone.

---

cling British  

/ klɪŋ /

verb

1. (often foll by to) to hold fast or adhere closely (to something), as by gripping or sticking

2. (foll by together) to remain in contact (with each other)

3. to be or remain physically or emotionally close

   to cling to outmoded beliefs

---

noun

1. agriculture the tendency of cotton fibres in a sample to stick to each other

2. obsolete agriculture diarrhoea or scouring in animals

3. short for clingstone

Other Word Forms

• clinger noun
• clinginess noun
• clinging adjective
• clingingly adverb
• clingingness noun
• clingy adjective
• unclinging adjective

Etymology

Origin of cling¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English clingen, Old English clingan “to stick together, shrink, wither”; akin to clench

Origin of cling²

1835–45; by shortening from clingstone, or special use of cling ¹ (noun)

Example Sentences

A handful of people clung to an idea of normality, saying they were crossing into Turkey for vacations planned before the war.

From The Wall Street Journal

Caviar and truffle prices are skyrocketing, forcing Tirel to cut corners while clinging to his restaurant’s former glory.

From Los Angeles Times

I picked up my own hat—the despised gray one from last year—and trailed after them, one hand clinging to the center post.

From Literature

We cried then, and clung to one another in the dark of the garden.

From Literature

Dad seemed to be on the board still, clinging to the reins.

From Literature

Related Words

• adhere
• clasp
• fasten