hangs Idiome

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thereby hangs a tale

thereby hangs a tale
That detail or incident reminds one of another story, as in So he went without supper, but thereby hangs a tale. This expression, embodying the pun on tail and tale, was used by Shakespeare in at least four of his plays and presumably was well known before that. [1500s]

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time hangs heavy

time hangs heavy
Also, time hangs heavy on one's hands. Time passes slowly, as in She adjusted quite well to the nursing home, except that she says time hangs heavy on her hands. This metaphoric term, first recorded in the late 1760s, likens the passage of time to a burdensome weight.

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tongue hangs out, one's

tongue hangs out, one's
One is eagerly anticipating something, as in Their tongues were hanging out at the thought of seeing the movie stars in person. This expression alludes to an animal's tongue hanging out of its mouth in anticipation of food. [Late 1800s]