Thread: Hang on a sec...

"Hang on a sec" ("Hang on a second") and "Hang on a min" ("Hang on a minute") get loads of hits on Google and you will hear English speakers using these expressions frequently - speaking for English English In this case it means, 'wait for a short period of time'.

It's one of few two-word entries - Hang on - in an English dictionary. It means:-
1. To cling tightly to something.
2. To continue persistently; persevere.
3. To keep a telephone connection open.
4. To wait for a short period of time.

Just off the top of my head, here are some more for you to ponder

Hang on
Hold on
Hold up
Hold down
Hold out
Shut up
Hang up
Sit down
Lie down
Sit up
Stand up
Get up
Break up
Break out
Make up
Make out
Work out
Figure out
Work up

I'm sure there must be many more.

Americans say "hang/hold on/up (a sec)/(a min)" often too.

What was the original post in aid of? And how is Scotcher's post connected with it? Is this a name your favourite phrasal verb competition? If so, here's my two copecks - eff off.

Heh, good example.

Originally Posted by VendingMachine

What was the original post in aid of?

Sorry mate I didn't know that posts had to be in aid of something, I just thought that someone learning English might be interested And those that were not would simply feel free to move on to another post. Anyway, here's some more stuff, phrasal verbs I think VendingMachine called them, to add to scotcher's excellent list: -

back out of
break in to
check up on
get away with
go down with
hang on to
look up to
make up for
put up with
run out of
stand up for

Originally Posted by майк

break in to

I've always thought that it's to 'break into', as in 'The wine cellar has been broken into and all the bottles stolen." On the other hand, how about this: "The police finally broke in to discover an empty safe and a note reading FANTAMAS SENDS HIS COMPLIMENTS", but it's a totally different thing, cos here 'to' isn't part of a phrasal verb, it's there because of the infinitive 'to discover'. Or am I wrong?

Originally Posted by VendingMachine

Or am I wrong?

@VendingMachine - I'm sure you're correct, but if I wanted to understand the finer details of the English language I wouldn’t ask me
It seems to me that, 'break into' and 'break in to' mean the same thing. Are they interchangeable? I’ve no idea, but I’m sure that there will be a rule! I would probably use 'break into' when the thing was an object that I could break into - like a safe or a house. But I would use, 'break in to a sweat' or 'break in to a new market'. Probably I'd just mix them up because I'm better at arithmetic. And I’d probably write, ‘break into a conversation’ – and that isn’t an object!!!

Originally Posted by майк

Originally Posted by VendingMachine

Or am I wrong?

@VendingMachine - I'm sure you're correct, but if I wanted to understand the finer details of the English language I wouldn’t ask me
It seems to me that, 'break into' and 'break in to' mean the same thing. Are they interchangeable? I’ve no idea, but I’m sure that there will be a rule! I would probably use 'break into' when the thing was an object that I could break into - like a safe or a house. But I would use, 'break in to a sweat' or 'break in to a new market'. Probably I'd just mix them up because I'm better at arithmetic. And I’d probably write, ‘break into a conversation’ – and that isn’t an object!!!

'In to' is wrong. Wrong. Plain as such.

You would 'break into ' a sweat and 'break into' a new market or break into a fit of giggles or break into a run. We wouldn't use 'in' and 'to' seperately unless it was as Vending Machine pointed out in his example. Have you noticed when you keep repeating the same word it looks as though you've spelt it wrong eventually? Or is that just me?

Not necessarily, joysof. The burglar broke in to steal the jewelry.

Originally Posted by Jasper May

Not necessarily, joysof. The burglar broke in to steal the jewelry.

Verily context is everything.

"Break in" and "break into" are interchangeable, when they mean "intrude, interrupt, enter something forcibly". "Break in to" is not an eloquently written version of "break into", it is more than that.

Originally Posted by Jasper May

Not necessarily, joysof. The burglar broke in to steal the jewelry.

Oi, that was my idea - see above. I got bagsies!

Sorry, didn't see that. All credit to VM.

Does it help to consider whether you "log into a computer" or "log in to a computer" ?

Personally, I "log on" to a computer.

And I get authenticated. That pesky get again here!

Originally Posted by майк

Does it help to consider whether you "log into a computer" or "log in to a computer" ?

If we're talking about forcibly entering something,
Break into (object)
Break in (no object)
Break in (to verb)

I broke in to steal. I broke into the house to steal. But I can't say "I broke in the house to steal" or "I broke into to steal."

Of course, that might have been already cleared up. But this post made it look like you weren't quite sure.

Also, you can break in new things. For example:
After I bought the boots, I went on a long hike to break them in.

gotta love English. :lol