Etymograph

English

hang tight

From hang + tight, possibly in part from a blend of hang on + hold tight.

Formed from hang + tight

Middle English hangen ‘to hang’

English hang

Proto-Indo-European *tenk- ‘to contract’

…

Proto-Germanic *þinhtaz

Proto-West Germanic *þį̄ht(ī)

Old English *þiht

Middle English tight

English tight

The story

From hang + tight, possibly in part from a blend of hang on + hold tight.

Today it means

verb To wait, without attempting to address a challenging, alarming, or dangerous situation, until a later point in time.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / hang tight