get the hang of [sth] v expr. 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. knack. Change). talent. However, if we use the present continuous, we don't use the word "never". 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. get it. But, you had to mentally calculate how far in front to [VERB preposition/adverb] 2023. colloq.) https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/I+get+the+hang+of+it. https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/I+am+getting+the+hang+of+it. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. See also: get, hang, of In its earliest incarnation in the 1700s, the expression described condemned men who struggled the longest when they were executed by hanging. However, for a better show, if the neck didn't break, the person would twitch and struggle and suffer death by strangulation, although this was considered sloppy work. One moose, two moose. These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'get the hang of.' The Sun (2010) And incredibly, it doesn't take long to get the hang of it. expertise. catch that. Join 8,034 readers in helping fund MetaFilter. I know it's a little tricky getting the hang of the machine, but just keep practicing and you'll get it. Hang your hat on (something) Idiom eBooks from UsingEnglish.com. I took her ice-skating for the first time, and she got the hang of it right away. : That fall and winter, Long forbearingly shepherded me through rewrites of the papers he assigned, and incrementally I started to get the hang of it. I believe it refers to the process of "hanging" or putting a handle on an axe. and our what is the origin of the It took him a long time to get the hang of all the irregular verbs. During 1801s Battle of Copenhagen, Nelsons ships were pitted against a large Danish-Norwegian fleet. The idea of resting on your laurels dates back to leaders and athletic stars of ancient Greece. 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. Find out more about the unusual origin stories behind 10 everyday phrases. It took him a long time to get the hang of all the irregular verbs. But got a knack. I havent got the hang of how to use the coffee-making machine yet. informal (understand) . 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. the precise manner of doing, using, etc., something; knack: to get the hang of a tool. The bender culminated in vandalism after Waterford and his fellow revelers knocked over flowerpots, pulled knockers off of doors and broke the windows of some of the towns buildings. After a few months you start getting the hang of the language and expressing yourself quite well. 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. An example of get the hang of is a beginning knitter who has just created her first scarf without dropping a stitch. See also: get, hang, of, something Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary Farlex 2017 See also: It took him a long time to get the hang of all the irregular verbs. Like "learning the ropes"? I like to think it comes from the skill of being able to "hang-10" on a surfboard. : Public executions by hanging were quite a spectacle in the good old days. I'm starting to get the hang of how this computer works. . U.S. 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. : You may have to direct them to leave space for the names, but they will get the hang of it after a while and they can then finish them up for you. Learn a new word every day. Every time I get the hang of an idea it suddenly turns into something different and I turn into a fool! What is the origin of Getting the hang of it? Maybe I misread. Accessed 1 May. Send us feedback about these examples. something: I haven't got the hang of how to use the coffee-making machine yet. It took him a long time to get the hang of all the irregular verbs. All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. aptitude. People, read the OED entry quoted above: it originally meant "to become familiar with the proper wielding or use of a tool." 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. For example: I know chess can be hard, but Im sure youll get the hang of it eventually. The game sounds really complicated when it's being explained out loud, but you'll get the hang of it once you start playing. Did Billy Graham speak to Marilyn Monroe about Jesus? without risk of it letting you down. There was a time-delay between If your or someone else's bright idea doesn't start from that, it's wrong. To save this word, you'll need to log in. means "From". Like a child learning how to ride a bicycle. Before clothes drying machines were invented, wet clothes were The expression go bananas is slang, and the origin is a bit harder to pin down. 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. What did it mean, originally, to "get the hang" of something? { idioms }. The phrase turn a blind eyeoften 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. One moose, two moose. 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. 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. what is the origin of the lovebug? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ). While ostensibly a reward, the creatures were tremendously expensive to feed and house, and caring for one often drove the recipient into financial ruin. Hang in the balance. Public executions by hanging were quite a spectacle in the good old days. Languagehat, I know that this your bailiwick, but the OED's oldest cite there is 1845, and it seems far from confident, since that use is clearly one that was written long after the writer expected the idiom to be understood. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Times, Sunday Times (2006) 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. antonyms. After a few months you start getting the hang of the language and expressing yourself quite well. T Tabac Senior Member skill. Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced searchad free! For example. Several idioms exist in this area. When you get the hang (the proper spot along the wire or hook to seat it), it looks right and is balanced. A cigarette hung from her lips. 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. They're perfect to use offline for reference or for use in class! To begin having or acquire a general sense of how to do or use something or how something operates; to become familiar with something. Robbins says: "When you have a guy, I guess like myself, who can hang the ball up there, have high hang time, you benefit more from pro-style and letting your fast guys get down there . An experienced executioner who had mastered the difference and could do either was said to have "gotten the hang of it.". 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. 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. suggest new. it?" Accessed 1 May. I know it's a little tricky getting the hang of the machine, but just keep practicing and you'll get it. A dependable person would, below the knee. Hang by a thread. In Hellenic times, laurel leaves were closely tied to Apollo, the god of music, prophecy and poetry. When letters make sounds that aren't associated w One goose, two geese. "Not yet, but soon I'll get the hang of it.". 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. Cookie Notice For example, if you get or find your bearings, you succeed in learning about a new situation, especially learning where things are: It takes a while to get your bearings when you start a new job. In these circumstances, a public official would read a small portion of the Riot Act and order the people to disperse themselves, and peaceably depart to their habitations. Anyone that remained after one hour was subject to arrest or removal by force. 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.. specific task. I just scored 10,000 points! 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. Ask MetaFilter is where thousands of life's little questions are answered. The marquis and his pranksters later compensated Melton for the damages, but their drunken escapade is likely the reason that paint the town red became shorthand for a wild night out. I'm starting to get the hang of how this computer works. An acquired or natural skill at doing something. What is wrong with reporter Susan Raff's arm on WFSB news. Whether any specific rulers actually bestowed such a passive-aggressive gift is uncertain, but the term has since come to refer to any burdensome possessionpachyderm or otherwise. If you're learning how to drive a stick shift, for Apollo was usually depicted with a crown of laurel leaves, and the plant eventually became a symbol of status and achievement. See also: get, hang, of, something Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary Farlex 2017 See also: Go Bananas. 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." When letters make sounds that aren't associated w One goose, two geese. : Public executions by hanging were quite a spectacle in the good old days. The Sun (2015) It is pretty easy to get the hang of. | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples 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. to be suspended; dangle. Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for get the hang of. Please note, I'm not sure at all about this, so I'd like to know if anyone else has heard this. 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. Venerable Greeks and Romans, or laureates, were thus able to rest on their laurels by basking in the glory of past achievements. 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. 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. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Find History on Facebook (Opens in a new window), Find History on Twitter (Opens in a new window), Find History on YouTube (Opens in a new window), Find History on Instagram (Opens in a new window), Find History on TikTok (Opens in a new window), Horatio Nelson. Ask MetaFilter is a question and answer site that covers nearly any question on earth, where members help each other solve problems. 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, I don't want to sound like a busybody, but, I find your lack of (something) disturbing, I hear what you're saying, and I hear you. Instituted in 1715, the Riot Act gave the British government the authority to label any group of more than 12 people a threat to the peace. Tm hiu thm. I know it's a little tricky getting the hang of the machine, but just keep practicing and you'll get it. All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. I'm starting to get the hang of how this computer works. it means that to catch a criminal (and presumably have him It refers to a person trying to learn a new skill or new subject and the moment when all the study and or practice pays off. Extra Examples kill somebody ( hanged, hanged) I'm starting to get the hang of how this computer works. In every business,in every industry, management does matter. So, we would say . Philately is to Stamps as ____ is to Rocks. It took him a long time to get the hang of all the irregular verbs. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. "getting the hang of it" means getting used to performing a specific task. At first you drive all jerky and the car stalls a lot. All Rights Reserved. Posted by James Briggs on September 24, 2003, In Reply to: "Get the hang of it" posted by Dan on September 24, 2003. : I checked the archives, but previous explanations of this phrase don't agree with me. Hey, Im think Im actually getting the hang of this new video game! After hanging and rehanging an axe, you start to get (or understand) how to position the handle just right on the axe head. Notices painted on sheets hang at every entrance. something: I haven't got the hang of how to use the coffee-making machine yet. And I don't think there's anything particularly unclear about it; one of the things you do when you get accustomed to a tool is get the heft, the feel, of it, part of which involves getting used to the way it hangs from your hand. What is the origin of the phrase "getting the hang" of something? De- comes from Latin, too. Get the hang of. Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/get%20the%20hang%20of. Today, sailors and landlubbers alike now use the phrase as a synonym for all things considered or for the most part., There are several tales about the origin of the third degree, a saying commonly used for long or arduous interrogations. When we use this expression, we use either the past tense (I got the hang of it), future tense (I will get the hang of it)or present continuous tense (Im getting the hang of it). figured it. smoothly. Updated: August 23, 2018 | Original: April 23, 2013. A common cause is 'vagal inhibition', whereby certain nerves in the neck are stimulated by the act of compression to induce a signal which causes the heart to stop. It became popular in the 1950s, around the same time as go ape, so there may have . The dog's tongue was hanging out. Its so confusing! be used to it. hang something She hung her head in shame. To get the hang of something means to become familiar with it. Writing in 1772, the famed explorer Captain James Cook noted that to run amok is to sally forth from the house, kill the person or persons supposed to have injured the Amock, and any other person that attempts to impede his passage. Once thought to be the result of possession by evil spirits, the phenomenon later found its way into psychiatric manuals. slacking rope), Continue Learning about English Language Arts. 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. [intransitive, transitive] to bend or let something bend downwards hang adv./prep. The humanitarian thing was to let the person's neck break; this caused a quick death. In the midst of the fight, a wounded British officer named William Inglis supposedly urged his unit forward by bellowing Stand your ground and die hard make the enemy pay dear for each of us! Inglis 57th Regiment suffered 75 percent casualties during the battle, and went on to earn the nickname the Die Hards.. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. 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. (LogOut/ [VERB preposition/adverb] A light-bulb hanging from the ceiling filled the room with a cold yellow light. when does coordination become the distinctive task of management why? If you're learning how to drive a stick shift, for example. ability. get into the swing of it. Children hung (= were leaning) over the gate. We can't use the simple present tense with this expression. getting the hang. 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. hung out to dry on a clothesline. 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. verb To get the hang of is defined as to learn how to do something and to become better or more skilled at something that you may initially not have been very good at. I never got the hang of playing video games so I hate them. Also, if we use it in the negative,its very common touse the word never. See full dictionary entry for hang Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's Dictionary. hang Examples from the Corpus get the hang of something I increasingly got the hang of handling Berni. "getting the hang of it" means getting used to performing a The phrase later became even more popular after 1811s Battle of Albuera during the Napoleonic Wars. For more information, please see our She said she thought she was beginning to get the hang of it. 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.