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Synonyms

haw

1 American  
[haw] / hɔ /

verb (used without object)

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

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.)

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.

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.

Haw. 5 American  

abbreviation

  1. Hawaii.

haw 1 British  
/ 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. 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 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

"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 British  
/ 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 4 British  
/ 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 Idioms  

  1. see hem and haw.

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”; hawthorn

Origin of haw4

First recorded in 1515–1525; origin uncertain

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

She just stood there in the moonlight with a warm little smile on her face, staring out over the river, her black eyes glowing like black haws in the morning dew.

From Literature

Viola hemmed and hawed for a bit, though.

From Literature

But Baron Hoover did not answer straightaway; he hemmed and hawed and cleared his throat.

From Literature

The admiral hemmed and hawed as the giant beast approached.

From Literature

There’s not much hemming and hawing over the dilemma.

From Los Angeles Times

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.