Advertisement

View synonyms for haw

haw

1

[ haw ]

verb (used without object)

  1. to utter a sound representing a hesitation or pause in speech.


noun

  1. a sound or pause of hesitation. Compare hem 2( def 3 ).

haw

2

[ haw ]

interjection

  1. (used as a word of command to a horse or other draft animal, usually directing it to turn to the left.)

verb (used with or without object)

  1. to turn or make a turn to the left:

    The horse refused to haw.

haw

3

[ haw ]

noun

  1. the fruit of the Old World hawthorn, Crataegus laevigata, or of other species of the same genus.
  2. the hawthorn.

haw

4

[ haw ]

noun

  1. the thin, protective membrane at the inner corner of the lower eyelid of a horse, dog, etc.; nictitating membrane.

Haw.

5

abbreviation for

  1. Hawaii.

haw

1

/ hɔː /

noun

  1. an inarticulate utterance, as of hesitation, embarrassment, etc; hem
“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


verb

  1. intr to make this sound
  2. hem and haw or hum and haw
    See hem 2
“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

haw

2

/ hɔː /

noun

  1. archaic.
    a yard or close
“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

haw

3

/ hɔː /

noun

  1. the nictitating membrane of a horse or other domestic animal
“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

haw

4

/ hɔː /

noun

  1. the round or oval fruit (a pome) of the hawthorn, usually red or yellow, containing one to five seeds
  2. another name for hawthorn
“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
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of haw1

First recorded in 1625–35; imitative

Origin of haw2

An Americanism dating back to 1835–45; apparently originally the imperative haw! “look!” of Middle English hawen, Old English hāwian “to look, regard”; akin to Latin cavēre “to take precautions, beware”

Origin of haw3

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English haga, presumably identical with haga “hedge, fence”; hawthorn

Origin of haw4

First recorded in 1515–1525; origin uncertain
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of haw1

C17: of imitative origin

Origin of haw2

of unknown origin

Origin of haw3

C15: of unknown origin

Origin of haw4

Old English haga, identical with haga hedge ; related to Old Norse hagi pasture
Discover More

Idioms and Phrases

see hem and haw .
Discover More

Example Sentences

If I could sum it up in a few choice words, I would, but instead I hem and haw, before stumbling through some rambling rejoinder.

They back away and hem and haw and leave it to the lower courts to implement their decisions.

A chorus of haw haws, showed how delighted his fellow-clowns were with farmer Joe's story.

The Irish title of the letter a or haw is alif, as also is the Arabian: the Greek alpha is either alpa or alfa.

This seemed a good joke, and they all howled and haw-hawed gleefully.

Why do these—these people at the fort hem and haw and hesitate when they speak about him?

He looked like an animated drying-post, and the Dutch boy, in spite of his troubles, began to haw-haw wildly.

Advertisement

Related Words

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


havurahHawaii