CLING (clung)

Pronunciation (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does cling mean? 

• CLING (noun)
  The noun CLING has 1 sense:

1. fruit (especially peach) whose flesh adheres strongly to the pit

  Familiarity information: CLING used as a noun is very rare.

• CLING (verb)
  The verb CLING has 3 senses:

1. come or be in close contact with; stick or hold together and resist separation
2. to remain emotionally or intellectually attached
3. hold on tightly or tenaciously

  Familiarity information: CLING used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CLING (noun)

Meaning:

Fruit (especially peach) whose flesh adheres strongly to the pit

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Synonyms:

cling; clingstone

Hypernyms ("cling" is a kind of...):

edible fruit (edible reproductive body of a seed plant especially one having sweet flesh)

• CLING (verb)

Meaning:

Come or be in close contact with; stick or hold together and resist separation

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

cohere; cling; cleave; adhere; stick

Context examples:

The dress clings to her body / The label stuck to the box / The sushi rice grains cohere

Hypernyms (to "cling" is one way to...):

adjoin; contact; meet; touch (be in direct physical contact with; make contact)

"Cling" entails doing...:

attach (become attached)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "cling"):

mold (fit tightly, follow the contours of)

conglutinate (stick together)

agglutinate (clump together; as of bacteria, red blood cells, etc.)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s PP

Meaning:

To remain emotionally or intellectually attached

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Context example:

He clings to the idea that she might still love him.

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Meaning:

Hold on tightly or tenaciously

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

cling; hang

Context examples:

hang on to your father's hands / The child clung to his mother's apron

Hypernyms (to "cling" is one way to...):

grasp; hold on (hold firmly)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s PP