Holds on tightly to something; adheres closely or tenaciously, either physically or emotionally.
From Old English clingan meaning 'to stick together, shrivel up', related to Old High German klingan. The word is imitative, suggesting the tight grip or adhesion it describes.
The verb 'cling' beautifully captures both physical and emotional attachment through its sound - the hard 'cl' beginning suggests the initial grasp, while the 'ng' ending seems to hold on and not let go. It's one of those words where the phonetics perfectly match the meaning, making it almost impossible to say without feeling the action it describes.
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