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hang over someone's head. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
hang over someone's head, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
hang over someone's head in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
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English
Verb
hang over someone's head (third-person singular simple present hangs over someone's head, present participle hanging over someone's head, simple past and past participle hung over someone's head)
- (idiomatic) To threaten (someone); to act as a constant preoccupation for (someone).
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.