Hang up

Meaning

The idiom "hang up" means to disconnect a telephone or end a call, especially abruptly or rudely. It can also mean to terminate an agreement, relationship, or engagement. The figurative meaning of the idiom is to end something suddenly and unexpectedly.

Usage

• When I hung up the phone, I realized I had forgotten my anniversary. (literal)
• She hung up on me during our conversation about her parents. (figurative)
• The company decided to hang up their partnership with the competitor. (literal)
• After months of dating, he hung up on her out of the blue. (figurative)
• When the electricity went off, I couldn't continue my work and had to hang up early. (literal)

Roots and History

The idiom "hang up" has been in use since the late 1800s, when telephones were first introduced. It originally meant to disconnect a telephone line by hanging it up on a hook. Over time, the meaning of the idiom has expanded to include ending calls or agreements abruptly. In some regions, similar idioms like "hang up a sheet" or "hang up the towel" have been used to indicate the end of a romantic relationship.

Synonyms in English

• End abruptly
• Terminate abruptly
• Disconnect
• Abruptly
• Sudden ending

Synonyms in other languages

• 遊ばない (Japanese) - to end a relationship suddenly and unexpectedly
• Vamos al cielo! (Spanish) - let's end this now
• على باب الخضرة (Arabic) - let's break up
• أَنَّهُ تَذَقَ مَشَكَلُونَ (Arabic) - he endured all of them
• على باب الديرست (Persian) - let's break up

Similar Idioms

• lead astray

• call names

• done in