cling
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++cling /klɪŋ/ ●●○ verb (past tense and past participle clung /klʌŋ/) [intransitive] 1 [always + adverb/preposition]HOLD to hold someone or something tightly, especially because you do not feel safe 〔尤指感觉不安全而〕紧紧抓住[抱住]cling to/on/at etc He wailed and clung to his mother. 他号啕大哭，紧紧抱住他的母亲。 Passengers clung desperately on to the lifeboats. 乘客们拼命地抓住救生艇。2 [always + adverb/preposition]STICK to stick to someone or something, or seem to surround them 缠着；黏着cling to/around etc His wet shirt clung to his body. 他的湿衬衫紧紧地贴在身上。 The smell of cigarette smoke clung to her clothes. 她衣服上有香烟的味道。3 NEARto stay close to someone all the time because you are too dependent on them or do not feel safe – used to show disapproval 依恋，依附〔含贬义〕 Some children tend to cling on their first day at school. 有些小孩在上学第一天往往会有恋家的情绪。4 cling on phrasal verb to continue trying to stay in power, in business etc 坚守；设法抓住〔权力等〕 Other businesses cling on and hope. 其他企业坚持着并且抱有希望。5 cling to something (also cling on to something) phrasal verb a) BELIEVEto continue to believe or do something, even though it may not be true or useful any longer 坚持，墨守〔某事物〕cling to the hope/belief/idea etc (that) He clung to the hope that she would be cured. 他一直抱着她会治愈的希望。b) to stay in a position of power or stay ahead, when this is difficult, or to try to do this 紧紧抓住〔权力等〕不放 an attempt to cling to power 试图抓住权力不放→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
cling• She was lying on her side and Hugh was on his side also, clinging to her back, as though for protection.• She flung out her arms to steady herself, clinging to him.• Denial, too, seemed to be an effort to cling to hope.• His pink shirt clinging to the curve of his belly.• A customary error committed by aquarists is to cling to the opinion that the Aponogeton species do not require a rich soil.• Why cling to the rebel cross?cling to/on/at etc• Astrochele is commonly found clinging to gorgonians, corals, etc.• And these possibilities made her cling to her actual existence with pleasure.• I clung to her hand, offering her a mooring line in that churning sea of grief.• I clung to him as if I expected to be pulled away from him.• He clings to his uniform like a second skin.• She further offended doctors by clinging to patently wrong ideas.• His pink shirt clinging to the curve of his belly.• Its founders were clinging to the wreckage, not setting out on a brave new voyage.cling to/around etc• No heart, no soul, nothing to cling to.• A wild urge to cling to him like this for the rest of her life?• Marge clung to Janey and stared at the blank door in horror.• Lucy's sobs stilled a little and she clung to Jay.• Michael held out his arms to her and she shrank away from him, clinging to Roy.• An endless drizzle clung to the air like fog.• We have in prospect eight months of solitude, clinging to the edge of the world's coldest, remotest continent.• They clung to the surface of things.Origin cling Old English clingancling verbChinese
tightly, Corpus or hold someone to something
cling
cling /klɪŋ/
verb (past tense and past participle clung /klʌŋ/) [intransitive]
cling to/on/at etc
He wailed and clung to his mother.
Passengers clung desperately on to the lifeboats.
2. [always + adverb/preposition] to stick to someone or something, or seem to surround them
cling to/around etc
His wet shirt clung to his body.
The smell of cigarette smoke clung to her clothes.
3. to stay close to someone all the time because you are too dependent on them or do not feel safe – used to show disapproval:
Some children tend to cling on their first day at school.
cling on phrasal verb
to continue trying to stay in power, in business etc:
Other businesses cling on and hope.
cling to something (also cling on to something) phrasal verb
1. to continue to believe or do something, even though it may not be true or useful any longer
cling to the hope/belief/idea etc (that)
He clung to the hope that she would be cured.
2. to stay in a position of power or stay ahead, when this is difficult, or to try to do this:
an attempt to cling to power
cling /klɪŋ/
verb (past tense and past participle clung /klʌŋ/) [intransitive] Language: Old English
Origin: clingan
1. [always + adverb/preposition] to hold someone or something tightly, especially because you do not feel safeOrigin: clingan
cling to/on/at etc
2. [always + adverb/preposition] to stick to someone or something, or seem to surround them
cling to/around etc
3. to stay close to someone all the time because you are too dependent on them or do not feel safe – used to show disapproval:
cling on phrasal verb
to continue trying to stay in power, in business etc:
cling to something (also cling on to something) phrasal verb
1. to continue to believe or do something, even though it may not be true or useful any longer
cling to the hope/belief/idea etc (that)
2. to stay in a position of power or stay ahead, when this is difficult, or to try to do this:
hold to have sb/sth in your hand or arms 指抓住、抱住、托住、夹住 ：◆ She was holding a large box. 她提着一只大箱子。 ◆ I held the baby gently in my arms. 我把婴儿轻轻地抱在怀里。 hold on (to sb/sth) to continue to hold sb/sth; to put your hand on sb/sth and not take your hand away 指抓紧、不放开 ：◆ Hold on and don't let go until I say so. 握紧，我让你松手时才松开。 cling to hold on to sb/sth tightly, especially with your whole body 尤指用身体紧抱、紧握、抓紧 ：◆ Survivors clung to pieces of floating debris.生还者紧紧抱住漂浮在水面上的残骸。 clutch to hold sb/sth tightly, especially in your hand; to take hold of sth suddenly 尤指用手抓紧、紧握、抱紧、突然抓住 ：◆ She stood there, the flowers still clutched in her hand. 她站在那里，手里仍然紧握着花束。 ◆ He felt himself slipping and clutched at a branch.他感到自己滑了一下，便一把抓住一根树枝。 grip to hold on to sth very tightly with your hand 指用手紧握、紧抓 ：◆ Grip the rope as tightly as you can. 尽可能紧紧抓住绳子。 grasp to take hold of sth firmly 指抓紧、抓牢 ：◆ He grasped my hand and shook it warmly. 他热情地抓着我的手握了起来。 NOTE The object of grasp is often sb'shand orwrist .* grasp 的宾语通常为 hand 或 wrist。 clasp ( to hold sb/sth tightly in your hand or in your arms指紧握、攥紧、抱紧 ：◆ They clasped hands (= .held each other's hands )他们相互紧握着对方的手。 ◆ She clasped the children in her arms. 她把孩子紧紧地搂在怀里。 NOTE The object of clasp is often yourhands , sb else'shand or another person.* clasp 的宾语通常为 hand 或另一个人。 hang on (to sth) to hold on to sth very tightly, especially in order to support yourself or stop yourself from falling 尤指为支撑自己或防止跌倒而紧紧抓住某物 ：◆ Hang on tight. We're off! 抓紧，我们出发了！
Patterns
to hold/clutch/grip/clasp sth in your hand/hands to hold/clutch/clasp sb/sth in your arms to hold/clutch/grip/grasp/clasp/hang on to sthto hold/cling/hang on to hold/clutch/clasp sb/sth to youto hold/hold on to/cling to/clutch/grip/grasp/clasp/hang on to sb/sth tightly to hold/hold on to/cling to/clutch/grip/grasp/clasp sb/sth firmly to hold/hold on to/clutch/grip/clasp/hang on to sb/sth tight
usually
