hanging
    n 1: decoration that is hung (as a tapestry) on a wall or over a
         window; "the cold castle walls were covered with hangings"
         [syn: hanging, wall hanging]
    2: a form of capital punishment; victim is suspended by the neck
       from a gallows or gibbet until dead; "in those days the
       hanging of criminals was a public entertainment"
    3: the act of suspending something (hanging it from above so it
       moves freely); "there was a small ceremony for the hanging of
       the portrait" [syn: suspension, dangling, hanging]

Hanging \Hang"ing\, a.
   1. Requiring, deserving, or foreboding death by the halter.
      "What a hanging face!" --Dryden.
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   2. Suspended from above; pendent; as, hanging shelves.
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   3. Adapted for sustaining a hanging object; as, the hanging
      post of a gate, the post which holds the hinges.
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   Hanging compass, a compass suspended so that the card may
      be read from beneath.

   Hanging garden, a garden sustained at an artificial
      elevation by any means, as by the terraces at Babylon.

   Hanging indentation. See under Indentation.

   Hanging rail (Arch.), that rail of a door or casement to
      which hinges are attached.

   Hanging side (Mining), the overhanging side of an inclined
      or hading vein.

   Hanging sleeves.
      (a) Strips of the same stuff as the gown, hanging down the
          back from the shoulders.
      (b) Loose, flowing sleeves.

   Hanging stile. (Arch.)
      (a) That stile of a door to which hinges are secured.
      (b) That upright of a window frame to which casements are
          hinged, or in which the pulleys for sash windows are
          fastened.

   Hanging wall (Mining), the upper wall of inclined vein, or
      that which hangs over the miner's head when working in the
      vein.
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Hanging \Hang"ing\, n.
   1. The act of suspending anything; the state of being
      suspended.
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   2. Death by suspension; execution by a halter.
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   3. That which is hung as lining or drapery for the walls of a
      room, as tapestry, paper, etc., or to cover or drape a
      door or window; -- used chiefly in the plural.
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            Now purple hangings clothe the palace walls.
                                                  --Dryden.
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Hang \Hang\ (h[a^]ng), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Hanged (h[a^]ngd)
   or Hung (h[u^]ng); p. pr. & vb. n. Hanging.

   Usage: The use of hanged is preferable to that of hung, when
          reference is had to death or execution by suspension,
          and it is also more common.] [OE. hangen, hongien, v.
          t. & i., AS. hangian, v. i., fr. h[=o]n, v. t. (imp.
          heng, p. p. hongen); akin to OS. hang[=o]n, v. i., D.
          hangen, v. t. & i., G. hangen, v. i, h[aum]ngen, v.
          t., Icel. hanga, v. i., Goth. h[=a]han, v. t. (imp.
          ha['i]hah), h[=a]han, v. i. (imp. hahaida), and perh.
          to L. cunctari to delay. [root]37. ]
   1. To suspend; to fasten to some elevated point without
      support from below; -- often used with up or out; as, to
      hang a coat on a hook; to hang up a sign; to hang out a
      banner.
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   2. To fasten in a manner which will allow of free motion upon
      the point or points of suspension; -- said of a pendulum,
      a swing, a door, gate, etc.
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   3. To fit properly, as at a proper angle (a part of an
      implement that is swung in using), as a scythe to its
      snath, or an ax to its helve. [U. S.]
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   4. To put to death by suspending by the neck; -- a form of
      capital punishment; as, to hang a murderer.
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   5. To cover, decorate, or furnish by hanging pictures,
      trophies, drapery, and the like, or by covering with paper
      hangings; -- said of a wall, a room, etc.
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            Hung be the heavens with black.       --Shak.
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            And hung thy holy roofs with savage spoils.
                                                  --Dryden.
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   6. To paste, as paper hangings, on the walls of a room.
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   7. To hold or bear in a suspended or inclined manner or
      position instead of erect; to droop; as, he hung his head
      in shame.
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            Cowslips wan that hang the pensive head. --Milton.
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   8. To prevent from reaching a decision, esp. by refusing to
      join in a verdict that must be unanimous; as, one
      obstinate juror can hang a jury.
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   To hang down, to let fall below the proper position; to
      bend down; to decline; as, to hang down the head, or,
      elliptically, to hang the head.

   To hang fire (Mil.), to be slow in communicating fire
      through the vent to the charge; as, the gun hangs fire;
      hence, to hesitate, to hold back as if in suspense.
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Hanging
   (as a punishment), a mark of infamy inflicted on the dead bodies
   of criminals (Deut. 21:23) rather than our modern mode of
   punishment. Criminals were first strangled and then hanged (Nu.
   25:4; Deut. 21:22). (See 2 Sam. 21:6 for the practice of the
   Gibeonites.)
   
     Hanging (as a curtain). (1.) Heb. masak, (a) before the
   entrance to the court of the tabernacle (Ex. 35:17); (b) before
   the door of the tabernacle (26:36, 37); (c) before the entrance
   to the most holy place, called "the veil of the covering"
   (35:12; 39:34), as the word properly means.
   
     (2.) Heb. kelaim, tapestry covering the walls of the
   tabernacle (Ex. 27:9; 35:17; Num. 3:26) to the half of the
   height of the wall (Ex. 27:18; comp. 26:16). These hangings were
   fastened to pillars.
   
     (3.) Heb. bottim (2 Kings 23:7), "hangings for the grove"
   (R.V., "for the Asherah"); marg., instead of "hangings," has
   "tents" or "houses." Such curtained structures for idolatrous
   worship are also alluded to in Ezek. 16:16.
   

HANGING, punishment. Death by the halter, or the suspending of a criminal, 
condemned to suffer death, by the neck, until life is extinct. A mode of 
capital punishment.