dangle
[ dang-guhl ]
/ ˈdæŋ gəl /
verb (used without object), dan·gled, dan·gling.
verb (used with object), dan·gled, dan·gling.
to cause to dangle; hold or carry swaying loosely.
to offer as an inducement.
noun
the act of dangling.
something that dangles.
RELATED CONTENT
What Is A Dangling Modifier?When you see a phrase in a sentence, and you can’t be sure which word it’s referring to, chances are it’s a dangling modifier. Having nothing to modify, the phrase just “dangles” without purpose (hence its name). Modifiers usually apply to the nearest noun to them. When writers leave out the noun or noun phrase they intend to modify, the modifier may appear to refer …
Nearby words
Idioms
keep someone dangling, to keep someone in a state of uncertainty.
Origin of dangle
1580–90; expressive word akin to Norwegian, Swedish dangla, Danish dangle dangle
Related forms
dan·gler, noundan·gling·ly, adverbDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for dangling
British Dictionary definitions for dangling
dangle
/ (ˈdæŋɡəl) /
verb
to hang or cause to hang freelyhis legs dangled over the wall
(tr) to display as an enticementthe hope of a legacy was dangled before her
noun
the act of dangling or something that dangles
Derived Forms
dangler, noundanglingly, adverbWord Origin for dangle
C16: perhaps from Danish dangle, probably of imitative origin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012