aw

¹ American  

[aw] / ɔ /

interjection

1. (used to express protest, disbelief, disgust, or commiseration.)

2. (used to express sentimental or sugary approval.)

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AW ² American  

1. Articles of War.

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a.w. ³ American  

Or aw

abbreviation

1. actual weight.

2. (in shipping) all water.

3. atomic weight.

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aw ¹ British  

/ ɔː /

determiner

1. a variant spelling of a'

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aw ² British  

/ ɔː /

interjection

1. informal an expression of disapproval, commiseration, or appeal

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aw ³ British  

abbreviation

1. Aruba

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Etymology

Origin of aw

First recorded in 1850–55

Example Sentences

It is now better signposted too, with the letters "aw" inscribed on each way-marker as a nod to the man who thought of it first.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

Dressed in jeans, fashionable sandals and a white T-shirt emblazoned with Andy Anaheim, the city’s cheery mascot, Rubalcava offered me an aw shucks grin.

From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2024

Some linguists trace it back to the Scots-Irish phrase "ye aw"; others suggest an African American origin, perhaps from the Igbo word for "you" brought over by Nigerian-born enslaved people.

From Salon • Dec. 5, 2022

Turns out, AG had misused common elements of the Scots language like syne and an aw.

From Slate • Sep. 9, 2020

I don’t see Jason quite so much, he’s aw ay a lot with work.

From "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins