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• haw
  haw

  verb (used without object)

  to utter a sound representing a hesitation or pause in speech.
• Haw.
  Haw.

  abbreviation

  Hawaii.

haw

¹ American  

[haw] / hɔ /

verb (used without object)

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

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noun

1. a sound or pause of hesitation.

haw ² American  

[haw] / hɔ /

interjection

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

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verb (used with or without object)

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

   The horse refused to haw.

haw ³ American  

[haw] / hɔ /

noun

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

2. the hawthorn.

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haw ⁴ American  

[haw] / hɔ /

noun

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

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Haw. ⁵ American  

abbreviation

1. Hawaii.

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haw ¹ British  

/ hɔː /

noun

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

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verb

1. (intr) to make this sound

2. See hem 2

haw ² British  

/ 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

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haw ³ British  

/ hɔː /

noun

1. archaic a yard or close

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haw ⁴ British  

/ hɔː /

noun

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

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haw Idioms  

1. see hem and haw.

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Etymology

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”; cf. hawthorn

Origin of haw⁴

First recorded in 1515–1525; origin uncertain

Example Sentences

Hedge and haw derive from the Proto-Indo-European root kagh, “to catch.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

But haw exactly are the fraudsters able to do this, and why is it so difficult for telecoms firms and authorities to tackle the problem?

From BBC • Aug. 22, 2021

"It feels like a rebirth. People are ready to come out for real, live music. They've missed this and we've missed the people... We're in hee haw heaven."

From Reuters • Jul. 9, 2021

He’d rather hem and haw, leaving everybody in limbo, than deliver bad news.

From Washington Post • Nov. 29, 2017

“Giddy-up now, son, let’s see does it know gee from haw with you a-holdin’ the reins.

From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns

Related Words

• bean
• grain
• kernel