1 : to hang down loosely especially in a way that makes it possible to swing freely
(no object)
Let your arms dangle at your sides.
dangling earrings
often + from
Diamonds and pearls dangled from her ears.
Wires were dangling dangerously from the ceiling.
A cigarette dangled from his lips.
(+ object)
She sat on the edge of the pool, dangling her feet in the water.
He dangled a piece of string in front of the cat.
2 : (+ object) informal : to offer (something) in order to persuade someone to do something
The money she dangled in front of him wasn’t enough to convince him to sell.
They refused to accept the money that was dangled before their eyes
leave someone dangling informal also keep someone dangling
to force someone to be in an uncertain position or to wait for a decision
We were kept dangling for weeks while the bank reviewed our loan application.