Meaning of “cling” in the English Dictionary

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"cling" in English

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clingverb

uk ​ /klɪŋ/ us ​ /klɪŋ/ clung, clung

cling verb (HOLD)

C2 [ I + adv/prep ] to stick onto or hold something or someone tightly, or to refuse to stop holding it, him, or her:

We got so wet that our clothes clung to us.
They clung together in terror as the screams grew louder.
One little girl was clinging onto a cuddly toy.
She clung to the handrail as she walked down the slippery steps.

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Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

clinging
adjective uk ​ /ˈklɪŋ.ɪŋ/ us ​ /ˈklɪŋ.ɪŋ/ also clingy

Phrasal verb(s)

cling (on) to sth
cling to sth

(Definition of “cling” from the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

"cling" in American English

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clingverb [ I ]

us ​ /klɪŋ/ past tense and past participle clung /klʌŋ/

› to hold tightly or to stick; to refuse to stop holding:

They clung together in terror.
We were soaking wet and our clothes clung to us.
fig. Farmers and herders cling to the valleys (= stay in the valleys) where the soil is less sandy.

(Definition of “cling” from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

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