harrumph
[ huh-ruhmf ]
verb (used without object)
to clear the throat audibly in a self-important manner: The professor harrumphed good-naturedly.
to express oneself gruffly.
Origin of harrumph
1First recorded in 1935–40; imitative
Words Nearby harrumph
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use harrumph in a sentence
This inverted morality creates maniacs whose antics are referenced with a smile and a wink, not a harrumph.
British Dictionary definitions for harrumph
harrumph
/ (həˈrʌmf) /
verb
(intr) to clear or make the noise of clearing the throat
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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