Dangle
Pronunciation
- IPA: /ˈdæŋ.ɡəl/
- (also) US IPA: /ˈdeɪŋ.ɡəl/
- Rhymes: -æŋɡəl
Origin
Perhaps of Scandinavian origin, akin to Danish dingle.
Full definition of dangle
Verb
- (intransitive) to hang loosely with the ability to swing
- HudibrasHe'd rather on a gibbet dangle
Than miss his dear delight, to wrangle. - TennysonFrom her lifted hand
Dangled a length of ribbon. - 2013-06-07, David Simpson, Fantasy of navigation, Like most human activities, ballooning has sponsored heroes and hucksters and a good deal in between. For every dedicated scientist patiently recording atmospheric pressure and wind speed while shivering at high altitudes, there is a carnival barker with a bevy of pretty girls willing to dangle from a basket or parachute down to earth.
- His feet would dangle in the water.
- (intransitive, slang, ice hockey, lacrosse) The action of performing a move or deke with the puck in order to get past a defender or goalie; perhaps because of the resemblance to dangling the puck on a string.He dangled around three players and the goalie to score.
- (transitive) To hang or trail something loosely.I like to sit on the edge and dangle my feet in the water.
Noun
dangle
(plural dangles)- An agent of one intelligence agency or group who pretends to be interested in defecting or turning to another intelligence agency or group.
- (slang, ice hockey, lacrosse) The action of dangling; a series of complex stick tricks and fakes in order to defeat the defender in style.That was a sick dangle for a great goal!
- A dangling ornament or decoration.
- 1941, Flora Thompson, Over to CandlefordSo her father wrote to Mrs. Herring, and one day she arrived and turned out to be a little, lean old lady with a dark brown mole on one leathery cheek and wearing a black bonnet decorated with jet dangles, like tiny fishing rods.