hang-by

English

Etymology

hang +‎ by

Noun

hang-by (plural hang-bys or hang-bies)

  1. (derogatory, obsolete) A dependent; a hanger-on.
    • 1598, Beniamin Ionson [i.e., Ben Jonson], “Euery Man in His Humour. A Comœdie. […]”, in The Workes of Beniamin Ionson (First Folio), London: […] Will[iam] Stansby, published 1616, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
      ; I am not afraid of you nor them neither, your hang-by's here. You must have your poets, and your potlings; your solados and foolados; to follow you up and down the city

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