hang upon
verb1
To regard with passionate affection.
- Beshrew the eyes that hung upon his form on that day with a passionate, greedy, all-absorbing love!1916, Varahaneri Venkatesa Subramaniam Aiyar, The Kural or the Maxims of Tiruvalluvar:
2
To pay overt attention to, as from sycophancy or intense interest.
- They hung upon his every word.
- "It is quite five years since my eyes last hung upon your honorable face."1906, Mary McNeil Fenollosa, The Dragon Painter:
3
Government, Military, Politics, War To hover around.
- and it was therefore decided merely to take precautions against a raid, fortify certain points on the roads, and bring out a host of irregulars to hang upon the rear and flanks of the enemy1919, Justin Harvey Smith, The War with Mexico:
4
Idiomatic To depend upon.
- Everything hangs upon whether the boss agrees.
- Has it struck you that another life may hang upon your answer? As a rule men are loth to send their fathers to death1901, H. Rider Haggard, Lysbeth: A Tale of the Dutch:
- Related terms
- hang on