cling

¹

[ kling ]

verb (used without object)

clung clinging.

1. to adhere closely; stick to:

   The wet paper clings to the glass.

2. to hold tight, as by grasping or embracing; cleave:

   The children clung to each other in the dark.

   Synonyms: hug, grab, clutch

3. to be or remain close:

   The child clung to her mother's side.

4. to remain attached, as to an idea, hope, memory, etc.:

   Despite the predictions, the candidate clung to the belief that he would be elected.

5. to cohere.

noun

1. the act of clinging; adherence; attachment.

cling

²

[ kling ]

noun

1. a clingstone.

cling

/ klɪŋ /

verb

1. often foll by to to hold fast or adhere closely (to something), as by gripping or sticking
2. foll by together to remain in contact (with each other)
3. to be or remain physically or emotionally close

   to cling to outmoded beliefs

noun

1. agriculture the tendency of cotton fibres in a sample to stick to each other
2. obsolete.
   agriculture diarrhoea or scouring in animals
3. short for clingstone

Derived Forms

• ˈclingingly, adverb
• ˈclingy, adjective
• ˈclinginess, noun
• ˈclinging, adjective
• ˈclinger, noun

Other Word Forms

• clinger noun
• clinging·ly adverb
• clinging·ness noun
• un·clinging adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of cling¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English clingen, Old English clingan “to stick together, shrink, wither”; akin to clench

Origin of cling²

1835–45; by shortening from clingstone, or special use of cling ¹ (noun)

Word History and Origins

Origin of cling¹

Old English clingan; related to clench

Example Sentences

A stranded hiker was rescued by helicopter on Sunday after she spent more than an hour clinging to the side of a steep cliff along the Pacific Crest Trail.

From Los Angeles Times

In the end, inertia and clinging to the comfortable disproved conventional wisdom won’t save American democracy or the American people.

From Salon

But somehow he clung on to deny Rose - a 44-year-old, who surely deserves another major and plays this game with commendable grace and class.

From BBC

Woods was clinging to a one-shot lead after bogeys on the previous two holes.

From Los Angeles Times

"But we simply cannot cling on to old sentiments when the world is turning this fast."

From BBC

Related Words

• adhere
• clasp
• fasten