hang up

What it means

To end a telephone call by putting the receiver down or pressing the end button. It can also literally mean to put clothes, pictures, or other items on a hook or hanger.

Examples

• She hung up before I had a chance to explain what really happened.
• Don't hang up yet; I have one more question to ask you.
• Please hang up your coat on the hook by the door.
• He got so angry during the call that he hung up on me.

Where it comes from

Separable in the literal sense ('hang the coat up') but inseparable for phone calls. The image comes from the old wall-mounted phones where you literally hung the earpiece on a hook.

Related phrasal verbs