Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- intransitive verb To hold fast or adhere to something, as by grasping, sticking, embracing, or entwining.
- intransitive verb To remain close; resist separation.
- intransitive verb To remain emotionally attached; hold on.
- noun A clingstone fruit.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun Adherence; attachment; the act of holding fast; embrace.
- noun A bunch; a cluster; an aggregation of several things that cling together.
- noun A dysentery or bloody flux of sheep: a frequently fatal inflammation of the large intestine of sheep, accompanied with fever and fluid discharges from the bowels.
- noun In horticulture, a peach, nectarine, or apricot in which the flesh adheres strongly to the stone; a clingstone.
- To adhere closely; be attached; stick: as, a wet garment clings to the limbs.
- To hold fast, especially by the hands or by coiling round or embracing, or, figuratively, by refusing to abandon or give up.
- To rush with violence.
- To wither; shrivel.
- To cause to adhere closely; apply firmly and closely.
- To consume; waste to leanness; shrivel.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- transitive verb obsolete To cause to adhere to, especially by twining round or embracing.
- transitive verb obsolete To make to dry up or wither.
- noun rare Adherence; attachment; devotion.
- intransitive verb To adhere closely; to stick; to hold fast, especially by twining round or embracing; ; -- usually followed by
to ortogether .
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun
Fruit (especiallypeach ) whoseflesh adheres strongly to thepit . - noun
adherence ;attachment ;devotion - verb To
hold verytightly , as to not fall off. - verb To adhere to an object, without being affixed, in such a way as to follow its contours. Used especially of fabrics and films.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun fruit (especially peach) whose flesh adheres strongly to the pit
- verb come or be in close contact with; stick or hold together and resist separation
- verb to remain emotionally or intellectually attached
- verb hold on tightly or tenaciously
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Support
Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word cling.
Examples
-
And all the while from ahead, close by the moving lanthorn, came the musical _cling, cling, cling, cling_ of the mules 'bell, with the low muttering sound made by the doctor and Griggs as they entered into a conversation about the state of the country into which they were penetrating.
The Peril Finders George Manville Fenn 1870
-
Six massive shapes wrapped in cling film rise from the floor: rotund, curvaceous, one shaped like a fennel bulb with an elegant slender neck, another like a Russian doll, yet another plumped and segmented like a swollen gourd.
A Potter's Monumental Inspiration Emma Crichton-Miller 2010
-
If you don't want to eat the meat right away, take it out of the salt water soak, wrap the pieces individually in cling wrap, and put the bunch in a zip lock bag.
"A friend gave me some pheasant breasts and pieces of chucker (I think?) 2009
-
Store at room temperature wrapped in cling wrap for up to 5 days, or slice and freeze wrapped in foil.
Bread and Wine Sarah 2009
-
Store at room temperature wrapped in cling wrap for up to 5 days, or slice and freeze wrapped in foil.
Archive 2009-10-01 Sarah 2009
-
Cool completely on a rack before slicing, or wrapping in cling wrap and freezing.
Bread and Wine Sarah 2009
-
If you don't want to eat the meat right away, take it out of the salt water soak, wrap the pieces individually in cling wrap, and put the bunch in a zip lock bag.
"A friend gave me some pheasant breasts and pieces of chucker (I think?) 2009
-
Cool completely on a rack before slicing, or wrapping in cling wrap and freezing.
Archive 2009-10-01 Sarah 2009
-
I wonder how long it took the Met to get into their carrier after we wrapped it in cling film … … on August 14, 2008 at 10: 19 am | Reply Luitenant Verkramp
Back To The Shire At Last « POLICE INSPECTOR BLOG Inspector Gadget 2008
-
Wrap dough in cling film and refrigerate 12 hours.
Archive 2008-12-01 Sarah 2008
travismcdermott commented on the word cling
a1000 Andreas 1262 (Gr.) Clang wateres thrym ofer eastreamas, is brycasgade blaece brimrade.
May 21, 2008