1. (n.) The hook with its eye, or the joint, on which a door, gate, lid, etc., turns or swings; a flexible piece, as a strip of leather, which serves as a joint to turn on.

2. (n.) That on which anything turns or depends; a governing principle; a cardinal point or rule; as, this argument was the hinge on which the question turned.

3. (n.) One of the four cardinal points, east, west, north, or south.

4. (v. t.) To attach by, or furnish with, hinges.

5. (v. t.) To bend.

6. (v. i.) To stand, depend, hang, or turn, as on a hinge; to depend chiefly for a result or decision or for force and validity; -- usually with on or upon; as, the argument hinges on this point.

accrue from ankle arbor arise from articulate articulation axis axle axle bar axle shaft axle spindle axle-tree batten batten down be based on be contingent on be dependent on be due to be predicated on bolt boundary buckle bud from butt button cervix clasp cleat climacteric clinch clip closure clutch come from come out of connecting link connecting rod connection convergence of events coupling crisis critical juncture critical point crossroads crucial period crunch depend depend on derive from descend from distaff dovetail elbow emanate from embrace emerge from emergency ensue from exigency extremity flow from follow from fulcrum germinate from gimbal gliding joint grow from grow out of gudgeon hang hang on hasp hinge on hinged joint hingle hip hitch hook hub interface issue from jam join joining joint juncture knee knuckle latch lie on lie with link lock mandrel miter mortise nail nave neck oarlock originate in pass peg pin pinch pintle pivot pivot joint pole proceed from push rabbet radiant rest rest on rest with revolve on rivet rowlock rub scarf screw seam sew shoulder skewer snap spindle spring from sprout from stand on staple stem from stick stitch strait suture swivel symphysis tack tie rod toggle toggle joint trunnion turn turn on turn upon turning point union wedge weld wrist zipper