hang over one's head
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English
Verb
hang over one's head (third-person singular simple present hangs over one's head, present participle hanging over one's head, simple past and past participle hung over one's head)
- (idiomatic) With the threat or negative prospect of; acting as a constant preoccupation.
- 1978 April 15, “London's Gay News Loses Blasphemy Appeal”, in Gay Community News, page 3:
- Lord Justice Roskill delivered the decision of the three justices, upholding the fines against the paper and editor Lemon. The justices also granted court costs to anti-gay crusader Mary Whitehouse, the person who brought the suit against the paper. A prison sentence hanging over Lemon's head was dismissed.
- 2010, Patricia A. Millett et al., United States v. Stevens, Respondent's brief, page 22:
- So Congress enacted a statute, the net effect of which is to hinge the freedom to speak on the speaker’s willingness to run the gauntlet of post hoc value assessments by prosecutors and juries with a five year felony sentence hanging over his head.