hung

Hung is the past participle of the verb hang in most contexts and commonly serves as the simple past tense for many unambiguous uses. It describes something that has been suspended, attached, or placed in a position. For example, a painting can be hung on a wall, and a coat can be hung in a closet. In standard modern usage, hung is often used for the past tense of hang when the action involves objects or nonhuman subjects.

When referring to people and the act of execution by hanging, many style guides traditionally use hanged as the past tense and past participle. Both forms appear in real-world text, but hanged is generally preferred in formal writing to clarify that the subject was executed.

The phrase hung jury refers to a jury that cannot reach a verdict after deliberation. This is a legal term widely used in journalism and law reports. In everyday speech, hung can also appear in idioms and phrasal forms, such as hung up (delayed or preoccupied) or hungover (suffering from a hangover), with variations in spelling and usage across English varieties.

Overall, hung is a versatile form tied to suspension and placement, with distinct, more specific usage in the context of execution.