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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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

haw Haw.

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

You can’t constantly hum and haw your chances or you’ll just never get out of that paralysis.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 9, 2021

She stepped out of the Wood into the shadow of the haw thorn tree, and looked up the hill at the house where she had grown up.

From "Ash" by Malinda Lo

"Haw. You hear that, Denny? He calls them sit-ups."

From "The Contender" by Robert Lipsyte

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