hinge
hinge Lexical Profile
hinge Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To depend entirely on; to be contingent upon.
"Our decision to proceed with the merger hinges on the results of the final financial audit."
To attach or equip a door, lid, or similar object with a joint that allows it to swing.
"The craftsman carefully hinged the lid of the wooden jewelry box using solid brass hardware."
To swing, turn, or bend as if on a hinge.
"The secret trapdoor hinged open silently, revealing a dark stone staircase leading below."
• noun
A mechanical joint or mechanism that connects two solid objects, typically allowing them to swing or rotate relative to each other.
"The old wooden gate creaked as it swung open on its rusty iron hinges."
A central principle, event, or point on which the outcome of a larger situation entirely depends.
"The witness's testimony proved to be the critical hinge of the prosecution's case."
A small piece of folded, gummed paper used by philatelists to attach postage stamps to the pages of an album.
"Using a proper hinge ensures that the rare stamp remains securely in the album without sustaining damage to its original adhesive."
• Rhymes for hinge
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English 'henge', related to Old English 'hangian' (to hang), literally referring to the mechanism upon which a door is hung.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.