hang up
phrasal verb·1 sense·particle up
Meanings
End a phone call
Why “up”? The action stops. With give up, up can show that someone stops trying.
“She hung up before I could explain.”
“He hung up when the line went quiet.”
Don't confuse with
Hang up means end a phone call. Hang out means spend relaxed time with people.
Test yourself
“She hung up before I could explain.” What does it mean?
Nearby in the meaning map
Sink In connects verbs by particle pattern, contrast pairs, and shared base verbs.
hang out
A contrast learners often mix up
Spend time in a relaxed way, often with friends
break up
Same up pattern: stopping
Break into pieces; End a relationship or gathering
close up
Same up pattern: stopping
Shut a shop or building, often at the end of the day; Move closer together so there is no gap; (of a wound or opening) heal or seal itself; Become silent or unwilling to share feelings
give up
Same up pattern: stopping
Stop trying; surrender
lay up
Same up pattern: stopping
Force someone to stay in bed because of illness or injury
let up
Same up pattern: stopping
Become less intense or stop
loosen up
Same up pattern: stopping
Become less tense or formal, especially before an activity
pack up
Same up pattern: stopping
Stop working; quit
Practice “hang up” in Sink In
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