cling

CEFRC1

/ˈklɪŋ/

verb · noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    verb

    To hold tightly to someone or something.

  2. 02

    verb

    Extra detail

    Adherence; attachment; devotion.

Examples

  • I have to wrap my sister's dinner in cling film.

  • We must cling to our faith.

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
5
Synonyms
5

Deep Dive

verb

Extra meanings

  1. An ornament that clings to a window so as to be seen from outside.

  2. To hold very tightly, as to not fall off.

noun

Extra meaning

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

More examples

In context

  • Wet clothes cling to the body.

  • Seaweed clung to the anchor.

  • Wood clings.

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The wet leaves began to blank to the car's windshield tightly.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

verb

From Middle English clingen, from Old English clingan (“to adhere”), from Proto-West Germanic *klingan, from Proto-Germanic *klinganą. Cognate with Danish klynge (“to cluster, to crowd”). Compare clump.