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

verb

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

haw

²

/ hɔː /

noun

1. archaic.
   a yard or close

haw

³

/ hɔː /

noun

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

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

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

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

Idioms and Phrases

see hem and haw .

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.

From The Daily Beast

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

From The Daily Beast

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

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bean
• grain
• kernel