Hanged and Hung - Glossary of Usage

The verb hang  has two past tenses—hanged and hung. Unless youre talking about a person who has been executed (Lord Haw-Haw was hanged for treason), you probably want to use  hung.  But see the usage notes below. Definitions The verb  hang  means to fasten or suspend from above--to place something (a poster, for instance)  so that its held up without support from underneath. In a related sense, hang can mean  to kill  someone by putting a rope around the persons neck, attaching it to something overhead, and then causing the body to drop suddenly. For centuries, hanged and hung were used interchangeably as the past participle of hang. However, most contemporary usage guides insist that hanged, not hung, should be used when referring to executions: convicted killers are hanged; paintings are hung.   Examples Dont mention a rope in the house of someone whose father was hanged.(English proverb)A room hung with pictures is a room hung with thoughts.(Joshua Reynolds)William Heath was  hanged  in January 1733 for stealing four shirts, part of somebodys washing that had been  hung  out to dry,The sheriffs deputies, who hanged the horse thief at night, are expected to hang around until they are sober, after which they could well end up with hanged or hung looks on their faces--and hangovers for sure.(Robert Oliver Shipman, A Pun My Word: A Humorously Enlightened Path to English Usage. Rowman Littlefield, 1991) Practice One should forgive ones enemies, but not before they are _____. (Heinrich Heine)We _____ our swimsuits out to dry. Answer Key One should forgive ones enemies, but not before they are  hanged. (Heinrich Heine)We  hung  our swimsuits out to dry.