Hangings

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The action of attaching objects in a suspended manner from above
2. The process of attaching or suspending items from an elevated point ; decorative fabrics or textiles displayed on walls as ornaments
3. The act of fixing or dangling objects from high points ; ornamental cloth hangings used for interior decoration

Etymology: "Hangings" is the plural of "hanging," which in Middle English appeared as "hangynge" or "honginge," built from the verb "hang" and the suffix "-ing." The noun has older relatives in Old English: "hengen" and "hōhing" both meant something hung up or suspended, so the idea of a suspended object has been part of the word since its earliest English form. The plural carries the two senses in the definition. One sense is the act of fixing or dangling things from high points, a meaning that stays close to the physical verb. The other is the decorative cloth that covers walls in a room, which came from the same idea of something hung up for display. Both senses grow naturally from the verb, and the plural form is used for the decorative textiles because a room typically has several of them.

Synonyms: suspensions, dangles, droopings

Antonyms: detachments, removals