Dangling

How to spell dangling

8 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce dangling

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does dangling mean?

1. adjectiveHanging or swinging down loosely from something.
2. adjectiveDescribing a modifier or participle that is not clearly attached to the word it should describe.

Dangling in a sentence

• A frayed wire was left dangling from the old light fitting.

• The editor flagged a dangling modifier in the opening paragraph of the report.

• The keys were dangling from a hook beside the front door.

• The style guide warns writers against dangling participles that confuse the reader.

Where does dangling come from?

Language of origin: Old Norse

The base verb 'dangle' is of Scandinavian origin, first recorded in English in the 1500s. It is closely related to the Danish 'dangle' and the Norwegian dialect 'dangla', both meaning to swing or hang loosely, and it sits in a small family of expressive English words such as 'dingle-dangle' that imitate a back-and-forth motion. The form is what linguists call a frequentative, suggesting repeated small movements, which is why 'dangle' carries the sense of something hanging and gently swaying rather than simply hanging still. Adding the ordinary present participle ending '-ing' gives 'dangling', describing the ongoing state of hanging down. The spelling keeps the silent 'e' of 'dangle' dropped before '-ing', so the trap is remembering the single 'l' and the '-gling' cluster rather than doubling a letter.

How the word is built

• dangle (to hang loosely)
• -ing (present participle / adjective suffix)