hanger

Etymology 1

From Middle English hanger, haunger, hangere, equivalent to hang + -er. Compare West Frisian hinger (“hanger”), Dutch hanger (“hanger”), German Hänger and Henker.

noun

1. One who hangs, or causes to be hanged; a hangman, paper hanger, etc.
2. A person who attempts suicide by hanging.
   With the jumpers and the drowners, McGee, you don't pick up a pattern. That's because a jumper damned near always makes it the first time, and a drowner is usually almost as successful, about the same rate as hangers. 2017, Ronald V. Clarke, Suicide: Closing the Exits
3. That by which a thing is suspended.
   1. A strap hung to the girdle, by which a dagger or sword is suspended.
   2. A bridle iron.
   3. A clothes hanger.
4. (now historical) A short and broad backsword, worn so to hang at the side, especially popular in the 18th century.
   I made an offer to go for my books and chest of clothes, but he swore I should not move out of his sight; and if I did he would cut my throat, at the same time taking his hanger. 1789, Olaudah Equiano, chapter 4, in The Interesting Narrative, volume I
   He was a stout old gentleman, with a weather-beaten countenance; he wore a laced doublet, broad belt and hanger, high-crowned hat and feather, red stockings, and high-heeled shoes, with roses in them. 1819, Washington Irving, The Sketch Book, Rip Van Winkle
   When he called ‘Watch!’ they cut him on the head with a hanger or short cutlass and fired a pistol so close to his face he was thought to be powder-burned for life. 2012, Jerry White, London in the Eighteenth Century, Bodley Head, published 2017, page 440
5. (UK) A steep, wooded slope.
   About the tenth of July in the same Summer a pair of sparrow-hawks bred in an old crow's nest on a low beech in the same hanger; and as their brood, which was numerous, began to grow up, became so daring and ravenous, that they were a terror to all the dames in the village that had chickens or ducklings under their care. 1789, Gilbert White, The Natural History of Selborne, Page 187
   'Twould blow like this through holt and hanger 1896, A. E. Housman, A Shropshire Lad, On Wenlock Edge the wood's in trouble
6. (baseball, slang) A hanging pitch; a pitch (typically a breaking ball or slider) that is poorly executed, hence easy to hit.
7. (Australian rules football, informal) Synonym of spectacular mark
8. (climbing) A device secured by a bolt and used to attach a carabiner.
   Climbers use anchors or bolts that are already placed in the rock. They clip onto them with metal hangers. Climbers don't need to place the anchors themselves, so they can focus on making the difficult climbing moves. 2012, Christine Dugan, Defying Gravity! Rock Climbing, page 37
   In marine areas (sea cliffs), even stainless steel bolts and hangers corrode rapidly. 2021, John Long, Bob Gaines, Rock Climbing: The Art of Safe Ascent, page 118

Etymology 2

Blend of hunger + anger.

noun

1. (slang) Hunger and anger, especially when the anger is induced by the hunger.
   The physiology of hanger. The carbohydrates, proteins and fats in everything you eat are digested into simple sugars (such as glucose), amino acids and free fatty acids. These nutrients pass into your bloodstream from where they are distributed to your organs and tissues and used for energy […] 2015, Amanda Salis, “The science behind being "Hangry"”, in CNN "The conversation"