• IPA: /ˈklɪŋ/

From Middle English clingen, from Old English clingan, from Proto-West Germanic *klingan, from Proto-Germanic *klinganą.

cling

1. Fruit (especially peach) whose flesh adheres strongly to the pit.
   • 1908, O. Henry, Hostages to Momus:

     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.

2. adherence; attachment; devotion
   • 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, […], volume I, Amsterdam [actually London: s.n.], 1698, →OCLC ↗, page 139 ↗:

     a more tenacious cling to worldly reſpects,

3. An ornament that clings to a window so as to be seen from outside.

   Synonyms: cling-on

   • 2004, Diane M. Hyde, Year-Round Classroom Tips:

     You can make window clings by using thin transparency sheets, school glue, food coloring, and templates.

cling (clings, present participle clinging; simple past and past participle clung)

1. To hold very tightly, as to not fall off.

   Synonyms: clinch, grip, Thesaurus:grasp

   Seaweed clung to the anchor.

   • 2017, Jennifer S. Holland, For These Monkeys, It’s a Fight for Survival., National Geographic (March 2017)

     Cartoonish, wide-eyed infants cling to their mothers or play together low to the ground.

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, Thesaurus:adhere

3. (transitive) To cause to adhere to, especially by twining round or embracing.

   Synonyms: cleave, stick, Thesaurus:adhere

   • 1732, Jonathan Swift, An Examination of Certain Abuses in the City of Dublin:

     I […] clung my legs as close to his sides as I could.

4. (transitive) To cause to dry up or wither.
   • 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, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act V, scene v]:

     If thou speak'st false, / Upon the next tree shalt thou hang alive, / Till famine cling thee.

5. (intransitive) To dry up or wither.

   Wood clings.

6. (figurative, with preposition to) To be fond of, to feel strongly about and dependent on.

• French: accrocher, accrocher, coller, coller
• German: haften, klammern
• Italian: aggrapparsi, abbarbicarsi, appiccicarsi, avvilupparsi, aderire, attaccarsi
• Portuguese: agarrar(-se)
• Russian: льнуть
• Spanish: sostener, aferrar, sujetar, agarrar

• German: hängen, klammern
• Italian: radicarsi, fissarsi
• Russian: цепля́ться
• Spanish: estar apegado a, aferrarse

Imitative; compare clink, clang.

cling (clings, present participle clinging; simple past and past participle clinged)

1. To produce a high-pitched ringing sound, like a small bell.
   • 1913, Cleveland Moffett, Oliver Herford, The Bishop's Purse, page 121:

     The tiny chimes clinged the hours and quarters against his right and Kate's left ear. They counted nine and three-quarters.

   • 2003, Femi Abodunrin, The Dancing Masquerade, page 24:

     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 […]

1. Imitative of a high-pitched ringing sound.