hang about phrasal verb British English (see also hang)

1. spoken to move slowly or take too long doing something:
Come on, we haven’t got time to hang about!

2. hang about (something) to spend time somewhere without any real purpose:
There were always groups of boys hanging about in the square.
He normally hung about the house all day.

3. hang about! spoken
a) used to ask someone to wait or stop what they are doing
b) used when you have just noticed or thought of something that is interesting or wrong:
Hang about – that can’t be right.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲