Meaning of hanger-on | Babel Free

Definitions

1. Someone who hangs on, or sticks to, a person, place, or service.
2. An onsetter.
   historical

Equivalents

Examples

“Her love⟳ was sought, I do aver, / By twenty beaux and more; / The king himself has follow'd her / When she has walk'd before. / But now her wealth and finery fled, / Her hangers-on cut⟳ short all […]”

“Not that he was what is commonly called a Screw; that is to say⟳ he was not a mere screw; but he was acute and malicious; saw⟳ everybody's worth and position at a glance⟳; could not bear⟳ to expend his choice wines and costly viands on hangers-on and toadeaters, though at the same time no man encouraged and required hangers-on and toadeaters more.”

“The Rhymney (51 route miles), once an impecunious hanger-on of the Taff Vale, had enjoyed its own⟳ route through Caerphilly into Cardiff since 1871, [...].”

““I thought you really liked us.” “I did. Deeply and desperately. And all I wanted was for you to like⟳ me. Instead, you treated me like⟳... an afterthought.” “I have⟳ got absolutely no really close⟳ female friends anymore.” “An annoyance.” “Oh, nice going, dipshit.” “A hanger-on.” “Stand⟳ over there and just pretend⟳ not to listen⟳.” “I can do that.” “An inconvenience.” “You did R-S-veep "yes."” “Sort⟳ of hard to shuffle things around at this late stage⟳.””

CEFR level