hang up
B1Informal to neutral; the 'delay/permanent cessation' and 'emotional preoccupation' meanings are more informal.
Definition
Meaning
To end a telephone call by putting down the receiver or disconnecting.
1) To suspend something from a hook or similar support. 2) To delay or cease an activity, often permanently (e.g., hang up one's boots). 3) (Informal) To have an emotional preoccupation or obsession with something.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The phrasal verb is separable ('hang up the phone' / 'hang the phone up'). The literal meaning of suspending an object is less common than the telephone meaning in everyday conversation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. Both use the term identically for ending a call. The noun 'hang-up' (meaning an emotional inhibition) is equally common in both varieties.
Connotations
Can imply ending a call abruptly, rudely, or out of frustration. 'Hang up on someone' specifically means to end the call while the other person is still talking.
Frequency
Very high frequency in both varieties for the telephone meaning. The literal meaning is slightly more common in UK DIY/domestic contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] + hang up + ([Object])[Subject] + hang up + on + [Person][Subject] + hang + [Object] + upVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “hang up your boots (retire)”
- “hang up your hat (settle down)”
- “hang up the phone on (reject abruptly)”
- “have a hang-up about (be obsessed/inhibited)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"I had to hang up as the meeting was starting."
Academic
Rare in formal writing, except in reported speech or sociological contexts discussing 'hang-ups'.
Everyday
"Don't hang up! I haven't finished explaining." / "Could you hang up your jacket, please?"
Technical
Used in telecommunications and UI design (e.g., 'hang-up button').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- She hung up before I could say goodbye.
- He got angry and hung up on me.
- Hang your coat up in the hallway.
American English
- She hung up as soon as she heard the news.
- Don't you dare hang up on me!
- I need to hang up this picture.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Please hang up and try your call again.
- Hang up your bag here.
- I accidentally hung up in the middle of our conversation.
- He has a hang-up about his height.
- The journalist hung up indignantly when questioned about her sources.
- After the scandal, he decided to hang up his boots and retire.
- The negotiations broke down when the CEO effectively hung up the phone on the deal.
- Her hang-ups about public speaking stem from a childhood experience.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a picture of an old telephone hanging on a wall hook. To STOP the call, you literally HANG the receiver UP on the hook.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMMUNICATION IS A PHYSICAL CONNECTION (breaking it = hanging up).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation from 'вешать трубку' as 'hang the tube'. The object is 'the phone' or 'the receiver'.
- The noun 'hang-up' does not mean the act of ending a call; it means 'комплекс' or 'зацикленность'.
Common Mistakes
- *I hanged up the phone. (Incorrect; past simple is 'hung up')
- Confusing 'hang up' (end call) with 'hold on' (wait).
- Using 'hang up' for turning off a mobile phone screen.
Practice
Quiz
What does 'hang up your boots' mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Hung up' is correct. 'Hanged' is only used for execution by hanging.
'Hang up' means to end the call. 'Hang up on someone' means to end the call abruptly while they are still speaking, often considered rude.
Yes, it's universally used even though the action is now tapping a screen icon, not physically hanging a receiver.
It's a countable noun meaning an emotional problem or preoccupation.
Explore