hang around

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hang around

A group of high school students hang around the central square after school.

Definition

Verb (intransitive) 1. To spend time in a place, often with no particular purpose or activity; to linger or loiter. It describes being present in a location, usually idly or while waiting. 2. To associate with or be in the company of someone regularly.

Usage and Examples
  • Basic Usage (intransitive): To stay in or near a place without a clear reason to leave.
    • After school, the kids often hang around the park for a while.
    • I saw a suspicious man hanging around outside the bank yesterday.
  • With a person or group: To spend time with someone socially.
    • He mostly hangs around with people from his art class.
    • Who do you usually hang around with on weekends?
Advanced Usage and Nuance
  • "Hang around" often implies a casual, relaxed, or aimless quality. It is less formal than "wait" or "remain."
  • It can sometimes carry a slightly negative connotation of being somewhere unwanted or suspicious, as in the example "hanging around the department."
  • The phrase can be used in the imperative to tell someone to wait.
    • Hang around for a bit, the meeting should be over soon.
Variants and Related Words
  • Hang about (verb): A British English variant with the same meaning as "hang around."
    • We hung about the station until the train arrived.
  • Hangout (noun): A place where someone regularly spends time.
    • The café became their favorite hangout.
Synonyms
  • Loiter: To stand or wait around without apparent purpose (can have a stronger negative implication).
  • Linger: To stay in a place longer than necessary, often reluctantly.
  • Idle: To spend time doing nothing.
  • Frequent (verb): To visit or be in a place often.
Related Phrasal Verbs
  • Hang on: To wait for a short time (often on the phone).
    • Hang on, I'll get him for you.
  • Hang out: Very similar to "hang around," but often emphasizes socializing more than the location. It is extremely common in informal speech.
    • We hang out at the mall. / Do you want to hang out this Friday?
Idioms and Common Phrases
  • "Not have much to hang around for": To have no good reason to stay in a place.
    • After the party ended, I didn't have much to hang around for, so I went home.
hang around

A group of high school students hang around the central square after school.

Verb
  1. be about
    • The high school students like to loiter in the Central Square
    • Who is this man that is hanging around the department?