Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb To hold fast or adhere to something, as by grasping, sticking, embracing, or entwining.
  • intransitive verb To remain close; resist separation.
  • intransitive verb To remain emotionally attached; hold on.
  • noun A clingstone fruit.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Adherence; attachment; the act of holding fast; embrace.
  • noun A bunch; a cluster; an aggregation of several things that cling together.
  • noun A dysentery or bloody flux of sheep: a frequently fatal inflammation of the large intestine of sheep, accompanied with fever and fluid discharges from the bowels.
  • noun In horticulture, a peach, nectarine, or apricot in which the flesh adheres strongly to the stone; a clingstone.
  • To adhere closely; be attached; stick: as, a wet garment clings to the limbs.
  • To hold fast, especially by the hands or by coiling round or embracing, or, figuratively, by refusing to abandon or give up.
  • To rush with violence.
  • To wither; shrivel.
  • To cause to adhere closely; apply firmly and closely.
  • To consume; waste to leanness; shrivel.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb obsolete To cause to adhere to, especially by twining round or embracing.
  • transitive verb obsolete To make to dry up or wither.
  • noun rare Adherence; attachment; devotion.
  • intransitive verb To adhere closely; to stick; to hold fast, especially by twining round or embracing; ; -- usually followed by to or together.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Fruit (especially peach) whose flesh adheres strongly to the pit.
  • noun adherence; attachment; devotion
  • verb To hold very tightly, as to not fall off.
  • verb To adhere to an object, without being affixed, in such a way as to follow its contours. Used especially of fabrics and films.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun fruit (especially peach) whose flesh adheres strongly to the pit
  • verb come or be in close contact with; stick or hold together and resist separation
  • verb to remain emotionally or intellectually attached
  • verb hold on tightly or tenaciously

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English clingen, from Old English clingan.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Old English? clingan to adhere, to wither; akin to Danish klynge to cluster, crowd. Compare clump.

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Examples

  • And all the while from ahead, close by the moving lanthorn, came the musical _cling, cling, cling, cling_ of the mules 'bell, with the low muttering sound made by the doctor and Griggs as they entered into a conversation about the state of the country into which they were penetrating.

    The Peril Finders George Manville Fenn 1870

  • Six massive shapes wrapped in cling film rise from the floor: rotund, curvaceous, one shaped like a fennel bulb with an elegant slender neck, another like a Russian doll, yet another plumped and segmented like a swollen gourd.

    A Potter's Monumental Inspiration Emma Crichton-Miller 2010

  • If you don't want to eat the meat right away, take it out of the salt water soak, wrap the pieces individually in cling wrap, and put the bunch in a zip lock bag.

    "A friend gave me some pheasant breasts and pieces of chucker (I think?) 2009

  • Store at room temperature wrapped in cling wrap for up to 5 days, or slice and freeze wrapped in foil.

    Bread and Wine Sarah 2009

  • Store at room temperature wrapped in cling wrap for up to 5 days, or slice and freeze wrapped in foil.

    Archive 2009-10-01 Sarah 2009

  • Cool completely on a rack before slicing, or wrapping in cling wrap and freezing.

    Bread and Wine Sarah 2009

  • If you don't want to eat the meat right away, take it out of the salt water soak, wrap the pieces individually in cling wrap, and put the bunch in a zip lock bag.

    "A friend gave me some pheasant breasts and pieces of chucker (I think?) 2009

  • Cool completely on a rack before slicing, or wrapping in cling wrap and freezing.

    Archive 2009-10-01 Sarah 2009

  • I wonder how long it took the Met to get into their carrier after we wrapped it in cling film … … on August 14, 2008 at 10: 19 am | Reply Luitenant Verkramp

    Back To The Shire At Last « POLICE INSPECTOR BLOG Inspector Gadget 2008

  • Wrap dough in cling film and refrigerate 12 hours.

    Archive 2008-12-01 Sarah 2008

Comments

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  • a1000 Andreas 1262 (Gr.) Clang wateres thrym ofer eastreamas, is brycasgade blaece brimrade.

    May 21, 2008