A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

hang back • hang behind
hang back —be slow to act; hesitate: I don’t know why he
always hangs back when he gets the chance to do something.
hang behind —
1
. lag in the rear; remain in the background:
She was hanging behind too shy to speak. 2. linger in a place
after others have left: One or two of the audience hung behind
after the lecture.
hang in the bell-ropes • hang on the bell
hang in the bell-ropes —(UK arch.) said of a postponed mar-
riage: During the currency of the three Sundays on which the
banns were proclaimed the young couple were said jocosely
to be “hanging in the bell-ropes.”
hang on the bell —ring the doorbell over and over again: I
want to see mountains again. And then find somewhere I can
rest without a pack of relatives prying around or confounding
visitors hanging on the bell.
hang it • hang it up
hang it—(interj.) is used to emphatically express one’s anger,
irritation, etc. (also: hang it all): “Oh hang it,” he exclaimed —
in no logical connection with what he had been relating to
me.
hang it up —
1
. (coll.) cease an activity or effort: We used to
own a dairy farm but decided to hang it up and enjoy life and
our kids. 2. (sl.) give credit: The Colonel muttered something
to the barkeeper about “hanging it up.”
hang it on someone • hang one on someone
hang it on someone —(sl.) blame it on smb.: We can’t hang
it on someone for their race…. But once you get past a certain
age, being fat is a choice.
hang one on someone —(sl., also: lay one on someone) strike a
person with a blow: He hit me first, but then I hung one on
him and down he went like a stone.
hang on • hang one on
hang on —(coll.) 
1
. continue smth. persistently; persevere
with smth.: I really want to go to sleep, but I am going to
hang on for a couple more hours. 2. keep listening on the
telephone; not hang up: Please hang on for a minute while I
find out what team you are on. I will let you know in a
minute…
hang one on —(U.S. sl.) get very drunk: A simple statement
to the barkeep —“I really hung one on last night”— was
enough to get a little sympathy and a double Bloody Mary.