haw

• POS: Interjection, Noun, Verb (intransitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

haw, n. [OE. hawe, AS. haga; akin to D. haag headge, G. hag, hecke, Icel. hagi pasture, Sw. hage, Dan. have garden. Haggard, Ha-ha, Haugh, Hedge.].

•  A hedge; an inclosed garden or yard.  [1913 Webster]

  "And eke there was a polecat in his haw."  [1913 Webster]
•  The fruit of the hawthorn.  Bacon.  [1913 Webster]

haw, n. [Etymol. uncertain.].

 The third eyelid, or nictitating membrane. See Nictitating membrane, under Nictitate.  [1913 Webster]

haw, n. [Cf. ha an interjection of wonder, surprise, or hesitation.].

 An intermission or hesitation of speech, with a sound somewhat like haw! also, the sound so made.  Congreve.  [1913 Webster]

haw, v. i. 

 To stop, in speaking, with a sound like haw; to speak with interruption and hesitation.  [1913 Webster]
"Cut it short; don't prose -- don't hum and haw."  [1913 Webster]

hemming and hawing speaking hesitantly and inarticulately, with numerous pauses and interjections.

haw, v. i. [Written also hoi.] [Perhaps connected with here, hither; cf., however, F. huhau, hurhau, hue, interj. used in turning a horse to the right, G. hott, hÜ, interj. used in calling to a horse.].

 To turn to the near side, or toward the driver; -- said of cattle or a team: a word used by teamsters in guiding their teams, and most frequently in the imperative. See Gee.  [1913 Webster]

To haw and gee, or To haw and gee about, to go from one thing to another without good reason; to have no settled purpose; to be irresolute or unstable. [Colloq.]

haw, v. t. 

 To cause to turn, as a team, to the near side, or toward the driver; as, to haw a team of oxen.  [1913 Webster]

To haw and gee, or To haw and gee about, to lead this way and that at will; to lead by the nose; to master or control. [Colloq.]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

haw, n. the hawthorn or its fruit.

haw, n. the nictitating membrane of a horse, dog, etc., esp. when inflamed.

haw, int. & v.
--int. expressing hesitation.
--v.intr. (in hum and haw: see HUM(1))

Etymology

imit.: cf. HA

THESAURUS

haw

avert, bear off, draw aside, ease off, edge off, falter, fly off, gee, glance, glance off, go off, halt, head off, hem, hem and haw, hesitate, hum, hum and haw, jib, make way for, mammer, move aside, sheer off, shove aside, shunt, shy, shy off, side, sidestep, sidetrack, sidle, stammer, steer clear of, step aside, stumble, stutter, switch, turn aside, turn away, turn back, veer off

ROGET THESAURUS

haw

Stammering

VB stammer, stutter, hesitate, falter, hammer, balbutiate, balbucinate, haw, hum and haw, be unable to put two words together, mumble, mutter, maud, mauder, whisper, mince, lisp, jabber, gibber, sputter, splutter, muffle, mump, drawl, mouth, croak, speak thick, speak through the nose, snuffle, clip one's words, murder the language, murder the King's English, murder the Queen's English, mispronounce, missay.