informal (learn to do) . The fascinating story behind many people's favori Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz! suggest new. "getting the hang of it" means getting used to performing a specific task. The cartoon shows the leaders of two superpowers (Russia and USA) arm wrestling with a twist, they are sitting on Nuclear bombs, and their ngers are over the trigger. Hence, "Can you shoot From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English get the hang of something get the hang of something informal LEARN to learn how to do something or use something It seems difficult at first, but you'll soon get the hang of it. Hang your hat on (something) Idiom eBooks from UsingEnglish.com. When letters make sounds that aren't associated w One goose, two geese. U.S. I know it's a little tricky getting the hang of the machine, but just keep practicing and you'll get it. Get a new gun, the hang time may differ. Ask MetaFilter is a question and answer site that covers nearly any question on earth, where members help each other solve problems. You get the hang of the thing. For When 'Lowdown Crook' Isn't Specific Enough. "getting the hang of it" means getting used to performing a Get the hang of definition and meaning - Collins Dictionary 11. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. I like to think it comes from the skill of being able to "hang-10" on a surfboard. Go Bananas. Example Sentences One theory argues the phrase relates to the various degrees of murder in the criminal code; yet another credits it to Thomas F. Byrnes, a 19th-century New York City policeman who used the pun Third Degree Byrnes when describing his hardnosed questioning style. Send us feedback about these examples. Delivered to your inbox! The game sounds really complicated when it's being explained out loud, but you'll get the hang of it once you start playing. She pedals down the street with her father running behind steadying the bike. While ostensibly a reward, the creatures were tremendously expensive to feed and house, and caring for one often drove the recipient into financial ruin. White elephants were once considered highly sacred creatures in Thailandthe animal even graced the national flag until 1917but they were also wielded as a subtle form of punishment. Times, Sunday Times (2010) You'll get the hang of it with no pressure to perform. get the hang of ( third-person singular simple present gets the hang of, present participle getting the hang of, simple past got the hang of, past participle (UK) got the hang of or (US) gotten the hang of ) ( colloquial) To begin to understand or manage at a basic level; to learn to handle with some skill. A dependable person would, Find out more about the unusual origin stories behind 10 everyday phrases. At first the movie made no sense to me, but after a while I got the hang of it. To save this word, you'll need to log in. Amokderived from the Amuco, a band of Javanese and Malay warriors who were known for their penchant for indiscriminate violencewas initially a source of morbid fascination for Westerners. example. For When 'Lowdown Crook' Isn't Specific Enough. For example. The idea of resting on your laurels dates back to leaders and athletic stars of ancient Greece. It can get tough, but you will get the hang of it. Before clothes drying machines were invented, wet clothes were All Rights Reserved. It doesn't seem to have been originally associated with drapery or any other special use of hang; the connecting notion might be "general bent or tendency." It became popular in the 1950s, around the same time as go ape, so there may have . In every business,in every industry, management does matter. become proficient in acquire the skill of acquire the technique of catch on to learn the art of get going get into your stride get up to speed acquire become skilled at get become competent in know inside out get down pat learn the ropes gain familiarize oneself with get clued up about familiarize yourself with hit the books acquire skill in more I dont think Ill ever get the hang of this new computer software. Get the hang of sth definition and meaning - Collins Dictionary get the hang of - WordReference.com - In 1837, the Marquis of Waterforda known lush and mischief makerled a group of friends on a night of drinking through the English town of Melton Mowbray. getting used. 18 Words and Phrases for Got The Hang Of It - Power Thesaurus Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary, a straw will show which way the wind blows, (I) wouldn't (do something) if I were you, the webmaster's page for free fun content. Change). I'm starting to get the hang of how this computer works. Buy our lists of British English, American English and Animal idioms in PDF format. It's quite parallel to "get the feel of.". getting the hang. Once you get the hang of it, reading a good play can be a delightful and challenging experience. You'll get the hang of it - Idioms by The Free Dictionary Idiom: get the hang of something learn how to do something to understand the technique of doing something Example sentences I got the hang of ice-skating the first time I tried it. Many everyday phrases are nautical in origin taken aback, loose cannon and high and dry all originated at seabut perhaps the most surprising example is the common saying by and large. As far back as the 16th century, the word large was used to mean that a ship was sailing with the wind at its back. Privacy Policy. GET THE HANG OF IT in Thesaurus: 40 Synonyms & Antonyms for GET THE Origin of "Getting the hang of it" : r/etymology - Reddit idiom: to get the hang of something | English Help Online's Blog Modern English speakers use the phrase crocodile tears to describe a display of superficial or false sorrow, but the saying actually derives from a medieval belief that crocodiles shed tears of sadness while they killed and consumed their prey. 2023. To save this word, you'll need to log in. Therefore,we oftensay She never got the hang of it. or Ill never get the hang of it. However, if we use the present continuous, we dont use the wordnever. Pretty sure it refers to hanging something (like a framed photo or painting) up so that it is straight. What is the origin of Getting the hang of it? - Answers I got the hang of driving a car I got the hang of life in the Far East I don't think that, in BE, the phrase is used very often of people, but here it clearly means that the person speaking doesn't feel familiar enough with the people in the case to have a suspect. and our The "public executions by hanging" derivation is ridiculous. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. "Get the hang of it" - phrase meaning and origin - Phrasefinder HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. Languagehat: it was the finality of your tone that made me say "wait a second", that's all, because I thought the subject sounded too-firmly closed there. Kids and adult newbies to the hoverboard world will appreciate the Razor Hovertrax Prizmas training setting, allowing riders to, Luckily, skin cycling is a pretty easy process to, After some practice, Brolin, who's married to legendary singer Barbra Streisand, started to, And while these mystery relatives have (presumably) never spent much time in front of a camera, most of them, But Computer Space proved too complex for tipsy patrons to, Judging from one photo, Pea is going to need to study some tape of his predecessor to really, With the latest surge of Covid-19 raging, now may be the ideal time to, Post the Definition of get the hang of to Facebook, Share the Definition of get the hang of on Twitter. get the hang of (something) To begin having or acquire a general sense of how to do or use something or how something operates; to become familiar with something. get how this works. To get the hang of something means to become familiar with it. I think that came later. hang Examples from the Corpus get the hang of something I increasingly got the hang of handling Berni. De- comes from Latin, too. The phrase paint the town red most likely owes its origin to one legendary night of drunkenness. I was born December18,1963When would I graduate high school? Russia threatned to place Nuclear weapons in Cuba, and America was very afraid because we are very close to Cuba. The back of my brain is busy trying to tie this all together with "get the knack of" which leads me to "knickknack", which wait wasn't I. I agree with languagehat on everything except the "wielding" metaphor. For more information, please see our I know it's a little tricky getting the hang of the machine, but just keep practicing and you'll get it. What is another word for getting the hang of? get the hang. The more we practice what we learn, the more we get the hang of it. Thus, for mariners, by and large referred to trawling the seas in any and all directions relative to the wind. People, read the OED entry quoted above: it originally meant "to become familiar with the proper wielding or use of a tool." [VERB preposition/adverb] A light-bulb hanging from the ceiling filled the room with a cold yellow light. Maybe I misread. be used to it. below the knee. After a few months you start getting the hang of the language and expressing yourself quite well. When a person is hung, the moment after the drop where the rope snaps tight either breaks the person's neck or it doesn't. The humanitarian thing was to let the person's neck break; this caused a quick death. informal (understand) . Still yet another theory suggests the phrase was actually born out of the brothels of the American West, and referred to men behaving as though their whole town were a red-light district. Don't worry, in a few days you'll get the hang of it. to get to understand, manage, master, deal with as an adept; to acquire the knack of. To begin having or acquire a general sense of how to do or use something or how something operates; to become familiar with something. Public executions by hanging were quite a spectacle in the good old days. Informal. You'll get the hang of it - Idioms by The Free Dictionary you'll get the hang of it you'll get the hang of it You will soon become comfortable with or acquire a sense of how to do the thing in question. get the hang of - Wiktionary | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples 1. verb If something hangs in a high place or position, or if you hang it there, it is attached there so it does not touch the ground. I just scored 10,000 points! sentences. The dog's tongue was hanging out. Among its many fabrications, the book includes a description of crocodiles that notes, These serpents sley men, and eate them weeping, and they have no tongue. While factually inaccurate, Mandevilles account of weeping reptiles later found its way into the works of Shakespeare, and crocodile tears became an idiom as early as the 16th century. I took her ice-skating for the first time, and she got the hang of it right away. The expression go bananas is slang, and the origin is a bit harder to pin down. Get the hang of it - Idioms by The Free Dictionary I've seen some speculation as to the origin of the idiom, "getting the hang of it" but the explanation that is the most likely is just about the last thing you find when you search it online. What the heck is hanging? - language etymology english - MetaFilter In its earliest incarnation in the 1700s, the expression described condemned men who struggled the longest when they were executed by hanging. Get the hang of. Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/get%20the%20hang%20of. Cookie Notice Also, if we use it in the negative,its very common touse the word never. Learn the proper way of doing, using or handling something; acquire the knack of something. These days, angry parents might threaten to read the riot act to their unruly children. [intransitive, transitive] to bend or let something bend downwards hang adv./prep. The law was later put to the test in 1819 during the infamous Peterloo Massacre, in which a cavalry unit attacked a large group of protestors after they appeared to ignore a reading of the Riot Act. Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance master get learn pick up understand know drink (in) find out search (for) hit (on or upon) see study hear discover track (down) run down tumble (to) absorb If you have a question about idioms, ask us about it in our Idioms Discussion Forum. When a person is hung, the moment after the drop where the rope snaps tight either breaks the person's neck or it doesn't. The humanitarian thing was to let the person's neck break; this caused a quick death. Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced searchad free! The more familair you are with the banace of a tool or weapon, the more proficient. Extra Examples kill somebody ( hanged, hanged) I haven't played it in a week, I was just getting the . This is not for the squeamish. I'm starting to get the hang of how this computer works. Hang of it - phrase meaning and origin - Phrasefinder The saying was popularized in the 18th and 19th centuries, when European visitors to Malaysia learned of a peculiar mental affliction that caused otherwise normal tribesmen to go on brutal and seemingly random killing sprees. After a few months you start getting the hang of the language and expressing yourself quite well. I know it's a little tricky getting the hang of the machine, but just keep practicing and you'll get it. I never got the hang of playing video games so I hate them. For example. So, we would say Im not getting the hang of this. Note that we use the word this instead of it because its happening at that moment. Hang in the balance. Get The Hang Of Definition & Meaning | YourDictionary https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/get+the+hang+of+it. Its so confusing! Is Brooke shields related to willow shields? I am getting the hang of it - Idioms by The Free Dictionary get the hang of something - Cambridge Dictionary Hang definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary To get the hang of (something) "become capable" is from 1834, American English, perhaps originally in reference to a certain tool or feat, but, if so, its origin has been forgotten. ing. If you're learning how to drive a stick shift, for But get into the swing of it. pendulum, pendant and pendulous. READ ALONG TO PRACTICE YOUR ENGLISH AND TO LEARN THE MEANING OF GET THE HANG OF IT: So when you first start doing something you're not very good at it, but i. ngha ca get the hang of something trong ting Anh aiim, because of the 'hang' of the gun. Get the hang of - Idioms by The Free Dictionary Could it have to do with rigging? what is the origin of the lovebug? Windzepher/iStock. I'm starting to get the hang of how this computer works. get the hang of [sth] v expr. I know it's a little tricky getting the hang of the machine, but just keep practicing and you'll get it. The Curious Origins of 16 Common Phrases | Mental Floss to get the hang of: to become familiar with the proper wielding or use of a tool; fig. likewise, not let you down when you need him. Hang fire. If you're learning how to drive a stick shift, for example. Meaning of get the hang of something in English - Cambridge Dictionary smoothly. it?" Like a child learning how to ride a bicycle. See also: get, hang, of, something Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary Farlex 2017 See also: knack. We can't use the simple present tense with this expression. I'd guess that often when you're done with something you hang it up, so perhaps it can be derived as completion (being done) of something such as learning a skill. Times, Sunday Times (2006) What is another word for getting the hang of - WordHippo Also, if we use it in the negative, it's very common to use the word "never". ability. See, I like the usages I cited where "hang" is clearly a. I always thought it was an archaic usage of "hang" as suggested by dhartung's last search result, meaning balance and related to using a tool. Lists. get the hang of doing [sth] v expr. She said she thought she was beginning to get the hang of it. get the hang of (something) To begin having or acquire a general sense of how to do or use something or how something operates; to become familiar with something. The phrase "turn a blind eye"often used to refer to a willful refusal to acknowledge a particular realitydates back to a legendary chapter in the career of the British naval hero Horatio Nelson.. At first you drive all jerky and the car stalls a lot. What is the origin of the phrase "getting the hang" of something? Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Please note, I'm not sure at all about this, so I'd like to know if anyone else has heard this. get it. Learn a new word every day. The Sun (2015) It is pretty easy to get the hang of. : Public executions by hanging were quite a spectacle in the good old days. Notices painted on sheets hang at every entrance. Hey, Im think Im actually getting the hang of this new video game! get the feel. But in 18th-century England, the Riot Act was a very real document, and it was often recited aloud to angry mobs. To begin having or acquire a general sense of how to do or use something or how something operates; to become familiar with something. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Get the hang in a sentence (LogOut/ get accustomed. See also: get, hang, of, something Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary Farlex 2017 See also: Learn the proper way of doing, using or handling something; acquire the knack of something. According to legend, if an underling or rival angered a Siamese king, the royal might present the unfortunate man with the gift of a white elephant. An experienced executioner who had mastered the difference and could do either was said to have "gotten the hang of it.". Therefore, we often say "She never got the hang of it." or "I'll never get the hang of it.". An example of get the hang of is a beginning knitter who has just created her first scarf without dropping a stitch. Thus, I think most of the hung individuals would have died very quickly and the need to 'get the hang of it' would have been minimal. See full dictionary entry for hang Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's Dictionary. skill. and finally the bullet shooting from the chamber. something: I haven't got the hang of how to use the coffee-making machine yet. Once you get the hang of it, reading a good play can be a delightful and challenging experience. 12. expertise. I get the hang of it - Idioms by The Free Dictionary It's a process that has to be done right, and was done quite often in the mid-1800s when the idiom started to appear in the United States. https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/I+get+the+hang+of+it. Cold War Cartoons Flashcards | Quizlet I sensed that this one might be more slippery than some, that's all. means "From". So, we would say . If your or someone else's bright idea doesn't start from that, it's wrong. There was a time-delay between Meanwhile, the much less desirable by, or full and by, meant the vessel was traveling into the wind. hang | Etymology, origin and meaning of hang by etymonline T Tabac Senior Member It took me a few minutes to get the hang of things when I put the Legend through an amp. slacking rope), Continue Learning about English Language Arts. If you're doing it right you would have "gotten the hang of it". pulling the trigger, the flint striking, the gunpowder lighting, I'm starting to get the hang of how this computer works. See also: get, hang, of 2023. That's my guess, anyway. Apollo was usually depicted with a crown of laurel leaves, and the plant eventually became a symbol of status and achievement. Definition of get the hang of as in master to acquire complete knowledge, understanding, or skill in He's really getting the hang of riding his bike now. For example. synonyms. get the hang of something ngha, nh ngha, get the hang of something l g: 1. to learn how to do something, especially if it is not obvious or simple: 2. to learn how to do. Need synonyms for hang of it similar words thesaurus that you can use instead. One explanation I've heard - and I can't confirm it's true, but it makes sense and is interesting in any case - is here: I don't know specifically, but I would guess it originates in some trade where you would literally hang somethinglike wallpaper.