cling

Noun

cling (countable and uncountable, plural clings)

1. Fruit (especially peach) whose flesh adheres strongly to the pit.
   • Antelope steaks and fried liver to begin on, and venison cutlets with chili con carne and pineapple fritters, and then some sardines and mixed pickles; and top it off with a can of yellow clings and a bottle of beer.1908, O. Henry, Hostages to Momus
2. Adherence; attachment; devotion.
   • a more tenacious cling to worldly reſpects,1641, John Milton, Animadversions upon the Remonstrants Defence against Smectymnuus; republished in A Complete Collection of the Historical, Political, and Miscellaneous Works of John Milton, […]...
3. An ornament that clings to a window so as to be seen from outside.
   • You can make window clings by using thin transparency sheets, school glue, food coloring, and templates.2004, Diane M. Hyde, Year-Round Classroom Tips

   Synonyms:

   cling-on

Verb (1)

cling (third-person singular simple present clings, present participle clinging, simple past and past participle clung or (nonstandard) clinged or (obsolete) clong)

1. To hold very tightly, as to not fall off.
   • Seaweed clung to the anchor.
   • And what hath life for thee / That thou shouldst cling to it thus?1823, Felicia Dorothea Browne Hemans, The Vespers of Palermo, Act the First

   Synonyms:

   clinch, grip, beclasp, begrasp, begrip, belock, clasp, clench, clutch, enclasp

2. To adhere to an object, without being affixed, in such a way as to follow its contours. Used especially of fabrics and films.

   Synonyms:

   cleave, stick, adhere, attach, bond, cohere, conglutinate, glue, hug, stick together

3. (transitive) To cause to adhere to, especially by twining round or embracing.
   • I[…] clung my legs as close to his sides as I could.1732, Jonathan Swift, An Examination of Certain Abuses in the City of Dublin

   Synonyms:

   cleave, stick, adhere, attach, bond, cohere, conglutinate, glue, hug, stick together

4. (transitive) To cause to dry up or wither.
   • If thou speak'st false, / Upon the next tree shalt thou hang alive, / Till famine cling thee.c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount...
5. (intransitive) To dry up or wither.
   • Wood clings.
6. (figuratively) To be fond of, to feel strongly about and dependent on.

Verb (2)

cling (third-person singular simple present clings, present participle clinging, simple past and past participle clinged)

1. To produce a high-pitched ringing sound, like a small bell.
   • The tiny chimes clinged the hours and quarters against his right and Kate's left ear. They counted nine and three-quarters.1913, Cleveland Moffett, Oliver Herford, The Bishop's Purse, page 121
   • The latter, armed with the most famous tool of their trade — tiny clinging bells — created a small band of untrained orchestra giving their part of the market a festive outlook […]2003, Femi Abodunrin, The Dancing Masquerade, page 24

Interjection

1. Imitative of a high-pitched ringing sound.