To get the hang of a thing is to understand its “modus operandi.”
1845. After they have acquired the hang of the tools for themselves.—N. S. Prime, ‘Hist. of Long Island,’ p. 82 (Bartlett).
1847. The theatre was cleared in an instant,… all running to get the hang of the scrape.—Darley, ‘Drama in Pokerville,’ p. 67 (Farmer).
1847. Somehow, I can’t get the hang of this new master. He does every thing so different from what a fellow is looking for; and I have about concluded we may was well mind our own business, and let him alone.—D. P. Thompson, ‘Locke Amsden,’ p. 94 (Boston).
1848. These Indians are ludicrously superstitious, and if we can ever get the hang of their terrors in this respect, we can accomplish wonders by playing upon them.—C. W. Webber, ‘Old Hicks the Guide,’ pp. 113–4 (N.Y.).
1855. For the first two years, until they got the “hang” of things, according to a common saying they had lost a large amount of money.—Mr. Jones of Tennessee, U.S. Senate, Feb. 27: Cong. Globe, p. 289, Appendix.
1862. About the time that the telegraph was started and an offis was set up in our town, Zenas was eenamost puzzled to deth to get the hang of the critter, as he called it.—‘Letters of Major Jack Downing,’ April 29.
1869. We have got so far east, now—a hundred and fifty-five degrees of longitude from San Francisco—that my watch cannot “keep the hang” of the time any more.—Mark Twain, ‘The Innocents Abroad,’ ch. xxxvi.
1878. I never got the hang of it exactly; but the States was a pressin’ the Injins to go, an’ some wanted to an’ some didn’t.—J. H. Beadle, ‘Western Wilds,’ p. 30.
