WordGarden.iohinge
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /hˈɪndʒ/
US
- /ˈhɪndʒ/
Meanings
Noun
a jointed metal fitting that lets a door, lid, or gate swing open and shut
a decisive point or factor on which something depends
Verb
to attach with a hinge or move as if on a hinge
to depend on something or be decided by it
Beyond the definition
Think of a door: what lets it swing open and closed? It is the small joint that connects the door to its frame and lets it move. But this word is not only for doors. It can mean any connecting part that lets something open, bend, or turn. You might see one on a gate, a cabinet, a lid, a folding book cover, or a pair of glasses.
The word is also used in a figurative way. Sometimes it means the key point that everything depends on. If your success hinges on finishing a project, it means the result depends on that one thing. In both uses, the idea is the same: one part allows movement, or one point decides what happens next.
A hinge is a joint that connects two parts and lets one of them swing, fold, or turn. The most familiar example is on a door, where it joins the door to the frame and allows it to open and close. But the idea goes beyond doors. You can find hinges on windows, cabinets, boxes, lids, gates, laptops, glasses, and many other things that need controlled movement between two connected parts.
The word is also common in figurative English. It can mean the point on which a situation depends. If someone says, "The outcome hinges on his decision," they mean the final result depends on what he decides. In this sense, the word suggests a central point that everything turns around, just as a door turns on its hardware.
This figurative use often appears when people talk about history, plans, or personal choices. A battle, a meeting, a vote, or even one short conversation can become the hinge of a larger story because it changes what happens next. That is why the word can describe both a real object and an important moment: in each case, it is the part that lets change happen.
Examples
- 1
Door hardware
The kitchen door had come off one hinge.
- 2
Gate removal
She lifted the old gate off its hinges and carried it into the yard.
- Phraseoff its hinges
separated from the parts that let it swing
- 3
Maintenance
A drop of oil stopped the hinges from squeaking.
- 4
Legal case
The whole case hinges on whether the email is real.
- Patternhinge on + fact/question
depend on it
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Decision
His decision hinged on one simple question: could he trust them?
- 6
Election
The final result may hinge upon a few undecided voters.
- Usagehinge upon
the same as hinge on, but a little more formal
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- hingenounverb
Forms
- hingespluralnounverb
- hingedpast tenseverbnoun
- hinging-ing formverbnoun