Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
hang tight
English answer:
persevere; persist
Added to glossary by
Barbara Østergaard
Dec 29, 2002 11:22
21 yrs ago
3 viewers *
English term
Denmark
Software, marketing & legal expert
Native in: Danish (Variant: Standard (rigsdansk)) 
Works in: English to Danish, Swedish to Danish, Norwegian to Danish, and 2 more.
hang tight
Non-PRO
English
Other
Psychology
psychology
What does it mean to "hang tight" in the following context: "They just kind of hang tight to do it again and again"? Should I interpret it as "They just really want to do it again and again", or...?
Thanks in advance!
Thanks in advance!
Responses
Responses
+8
14 mins
Selected
persist determinedly
"hang tight" in this case means persevering tenaciously or persisting determinedly in doing whatever it is over and over.
"They just kind of persist determinedly to do it over and over again."
"They just kind of persist determinedly to do it over and over again."
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you all! And happy new year!"
15 mins
Emilia Carneiro
Brazil
Brazil
Brazil
The word is yours!
Native in: Portuguese 
Works in: English to Portuguese, French to Portuguese, Portuguese to English
they keep on doing it again and again
That's the way I see it :)
Have a nice day!
Have a nice day!
+9
15 mins
Dan_Brennan
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
&
English
United Kingdom
Specialist in sport, journalism and NGOs
Native in: English (Variants: UK, British)
Works in: Russian to English, English, French to English
= stay put, don't give up
hang tight, in my understanding, normally means, 'stay where you are' or 'don't give up', so I guess you are right in your interpretation. But I have to say that the phrase as a whole doesn't read very well in my opinion.
I would rephrase as follows:
They just kind of hang tight, doing it again and again.
I would rephrase as follows:
They just kind of hang tight, doing it again and again.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
NancyLynn
1 hr
|
| agree |
Herman Vilella
: don't give up the ship
1 hr
|
| agree |
Peter Coles
: This looks like reported casual speech, so maybe not a surpise that it doesn't read well.
2 hrs
|
| agree |
Refugio
2 hrs
|
| agree |
Noel Castelino
: Yes, literally: "don't let go".
3 hrs
|
| agree |
Christopher Crockett
8 hrs
|
| agree |
Anette Herbert
9 hrs
|
| agree |
Alexandra Tussing
10 hrs
|
| agree |
Сергей Лузан
1 day 9 hrs
|
+1
19 mins
try hard
that's how I understand it
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Christopher Crockett
: That's inherent, but there's more to it than that.
8 hrs
|
|
thank you
|
+3
2 hrs
Don't give up.
Barbara
Basically I'm agreeing with Dan, but wanted to add the following observation on "They just really want to do it again and again".
Hang tight implies persistence and not giving up, sometimes in the face of adversity. In the context that you provided, I would interpret it to indicate a willingness "to do it again and again" rather than a desire to do so.
Basically I'm agreeing with Dan, but wanted to add the following observation on "They just really want to do it again and again".
Hang tight implies persistence and not giving up, sometimes in the face of adversity. In the context that you provided, I would interpret it to indicate a willingness "to do it again and again" rather than a desire to do so.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Refugio
22 mins
|
| agree |
Alexandra Tussing
8 hrs
|
| agree |
Montefiore
: in the face of adversity is an important addition here
15 hrs
|
3 hrs
Norbert Hermann
Native in English
&
English
YOUR COMPETITIVE EDGE - over 40 YEARS!
Native in: English , German
Works in: English to German, German to English, Portuguese to German, and 3 more.
relentless
relentlessly they are trying it again and again - to add another possibility to some of the correct interpretations above.
+1
3 hrs
hang on in there
is another colloquial way of saying it.
They just hang on in there doing it again and again.
They can't/won't change, they are stuck in a cycle, they won't be budged, they hang on tightly, like leeches (to whatever it is...the need to break into shops, give their parents a hard time)
They just hang on in there doing it again and again.
They can't/won't change, they are stuck in a cycle, they won't be budged, they hang on tightly, like leeches (to whatever it is...the need to break into shops, give their parents a hard time)
18 hrs
Montefiore
United States
United States
Works in field
United States
Experienced, knowledgeable, prompt
Native in: Russian
Works in: English to Russian, Ukrainian to Russian, Russian, and 3 more.
persevere even if there appears to be no hope, or if the situation seems impossible
The above answers are all great!
I just wanted to add a nuance: "hang tight" means staying "with the project" even if things seem not to make any sense, even if they seem hopeless, and regardless of how difficult and especially futile it may seem to hang tight
At least, that's my understanding...
I just wanted to add a nuance: "hang tight" means staying "with the project" even if things seem not to make any sense, even if they seem hopeless, and regardless of how difficult and especially futile it may seem to hang tight
At least, that's my understanding...
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