- It seems that this is a good place to rest; to hang my lantern.”
hang a lantern
verb; compounding
phrase with verb; To stop, take a break. (“Louisville would be a good place to hang our lanterns”) The writer wanted to use a clever metaphor for taking a break/stopping to rest. In days of yore travelers used to carry lanterns and when they stopped for the night, they hung them (on a stick/pole). So hanging lanterns becomes a metaphor for taking a break/stopping here.
Source : Posted on www.writingforums.com by laureate
Last modified: 10 June 2008