Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. to stay, to maintain a position, usu. with implication of pressures to surrender.

1926		Wenham Lake Shooting Record 17: If any small fowl hang in there we can get them within shot.
1936		Monks & Finklehoffe Brother Rat 117: Hang in there.
1959		J. Blake letter 15 Oct. in Joint (1972) 148: Hang in, – Jim.
1969		Current Sl. III:4 6: Hang in there, v. To keep struggling.
1971		R.D. Pharr S.R.O. (1998) 11: ‘I work late nights,’ I told him, trying to hang in there for a just a few more minutes.
1972		M. Rodgers Freaky Friday 61: Ellen, hang in there a minute.
1976		M. Braly False Starts 358: Doris didn’t hang in.
1985		‘Thommo’ Dict. Aus. Swearing & Sex Sayings 65: HANG IN THERE — To persevere.
1987		R. Campbell Alice in La-La Land (1999) 96: Time was that Nell would have been hanging in there, too, scared that the chance would present itself just two minutes after she walked out the door.
1993		T. Jones Pugilist at Rest 219: Can you hang in with the big man?
1997		Bug (Aus.) 1 Oct. 🌐 No, you can’t talk to ‘em. Like Newcastle, you just gotta hang in there and show ‘em in the end.
2000		R.G. Barrett Leaving Bondi (2013) [ebook] ‘Hello Les. How are you goin’, mate?’ ‘I’m hanging in, George,’ replied Les. ‘Hangin’ in’.
2001		J. Stahl Plainclothes Naked (2002) 273: The bottom line, you don’t have a choice. You gotta hang in.
2010		A. Steinberg Running the Books 199: I know things is tough but you gotta hang in there brutha.

2. to exist, to survive, to be living.

1975		E. Torres Carlito’s Way 3: They hung in there anyway — most of the tickets were one way.
1983		C. Heath A-Team 2 (1984) 144: Hannibal [...] put a hand on his partner’s shoulder, asking him, ‘BA, you hangin’ in there?’.
1999		K. Sampson Powder 242: Hang in there. It’s just a pill.
2000		Sun. Times Mag. 12 Mar. 11: They hung in there, thinking they were doing it for us.