Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Dangle'

English Word: Dangle

Key Russian Translations:

• висеть [vʲɪˈsʲetʲ] - [Neutral, General Usage]
• болтаться [bɐlˈtatʲsə] - [Informal, Often with a Sense of Looseness]
• свисать [svʲɪˈsatʲ] - [Neutral, Often for Hanging Down]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in specific contexts)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "висеть" and "свисать"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for "болтаться" due to colloquial nuance

Pronunciation (Russian):

висеть: [vʲɪˈsʲetʲ]

Note on висеть: Stress on the second syllable; the soft "с" sound is typical in Russian.

болтаться: [bɐlˈtatʲsə]

Note on болтаться: Stress on the second syllable; the "т" is pronounced softly due to the following "ь".

свисать: [svʲɪˈsatʲ]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To Hang Loosely (Physical Object)

Translation(s) & Context:

• висеть - Used for objects hanging or suspended, often in a stable manner (e.g., a chandelier).
• свисать - Used for something hanging down, often with a sense of length or drooping (e.g., curtains, hair).

Usage Examples:

• Люстра висит над столом.

  The chandelier hangs above the table.

• Шторы свисают до пола.

  The curtains dangle down to the floor.

• Веревка висит с потолка.

  The rope dangles from the ceiling.

2. To Hang or Move Loosely (Colloquial, Often Figurative)

Translation(s) & Context:

• болтаться - Used colloquially for something or someone moving aimlessly or hanging loosely (e.g., dangling legs or wandering around).

Usage Examples:

• Его ноги болтались в воздухе, когда он сидел на стене.

  His legs dangled in the air as he sat on the wall.

• Он весь день болтался по городу без дела.

  He dangled around the city all day with nothing to do.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

висеть (Verb, Imperfective): Regular conjugation in present, past, and future tenses. Does not have a perfective counterpart in this meaning.

болтаться (Verb, Imperfective): Regular conjugation, often used reflexively with "-ся".

свисать (Verb, Imperfective): Regular conjugation, similar to "висеть".

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms:

• подвешиваться (for "висеть" in specific contexts)
• качаться (for "болтаться" with a sense of swinging)

Note: "качаться" often implies more active movement than "болтаться".

Antonyms:

• стоять (to stand, in opposition to hanging)
• лежать (to lie, in opposition to hanging)

Related Phrases:

• висеть на волоске - Literally "to hang by a thread"; means to be in a precarious situation.
• болтаться без дела - Literally "to dangle without purpose"; means to loaf around or waste time.
• свисать с края - Literally "to dangle from the edge"; often used for something hanging over a surface.

Usage Notes:

• "висеть" is the most neutral and widely applicable term for "dangle" when referring to physical objects hanging.
• "болтаться" carries a colloquial tone and often implies aimlessness or looseness; avoid using it in formal writing.
• "свисать" emphasizes the downward hanging aspect and is often used for long or flowing objects like hair or fabric.
• Pay attention to verb aspect: all three are imperfective and describe ongoing or habitual actions.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "болтаться" in formal contexts. Incorrect: "Картина болтается на стене" (formal context). Correct: "Картина висит на стене" (The painting hangs on the wall).
• Error: Confusing "висеть" and "свисать" for direction. Incorrect: "Волосы висят с головы" (awkward). Correct: "Волосы свисают с головы" (Hair dangles from the head).

Cultural Notes:

The phrase "висеть на волоске" (to hang by a thread) is a common Russian idiom reflecting a cultural emphasis on precarious situations, often used in literature and everyday speech to describe life-threatening or critical moments.

Related Concepts:

• качаться (to swing)
• подвешивать (to suspend)
• спускаться (to descend, related to downward movement)