cling

1
[ kling ]
/ klɪŋ /

verb (used without object), clung, cling·ing.

to adhere closely; stick to: The wet paper clings to the glass.
to hold tight, as by grasping or embracing; cleave: The children clung to each other in the dark.
to be or remain close: The child clung to her mother's side.
to remain attached, as to an idea, hope, memory, etc.: Despite the predictions, the candidate clung to the belief that he would be elected.
to cohere.

noun

the act of clinging; adherence; attachment.

Origin of cling

1
before 900; Middle English clingen, Old English clingan to stick together, shrink, wither; akin to clench

OTHER WORDS FROM cling

cling·er, noun cling·ing·ly, adverb cling·ing·ness, noun un·cling·ing, adjective

Definition for cling (2 of 2)

cling 2
[ kling ]
/ klɪŋ /

noun

Origin of cling

2
1835–45; by shortening from clingstone, or special use of cling1 (noun)

Example sentences from the Web for cling

British Dictionary definitions for cling

cling
/ (klɪŋ) /

verb clings, clinging or clung (intr)

(often foll by to) to hold fast or adhere closely (to something), as by gripping or sticking
(foll by together) to remain in contact (with each other)
to be or remain physically or emotionally close to cling to outmoded beliefs

noun

agriculture, mainly US the tendency of cotton fibres in a sample to stick to each other
agriculture obsolete diarrhoea or scouring in animals
short for clingstone

Derived forms of cling

Word Origin for cling

Old English clingan; related to clench