noun
hinge
HIHNJ
noun
1
A jointed device that lets a door, lid, or gate swing open and closed.
"The old gate creaked on its rusty hinge."
"Oil the hinges so the door stops squeaking."
2
A key point on which something else depends.
"Trust is the hinge on which the whole relationship turns."
verb
1
To depend entirely on something.
"The whole plan hinges on getting the loan approved."
"Her decision hinges on what her family thinks."
How to Use Hinge
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe metal part that lets a door swing, or (as a verb) to depend completely on one factor.
Common pairings
hinge on
door hinge
squeaky hinge
Word Forms
hinged past tense, hinges plural, Hinges plural, hinges singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “hinge”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The old gate creaked on its rusty _____.
Etymology
From Old English henge/henġe, related to "hang."