Hawing Meaning in English
word · lemma: hem and haw
ˈhɔɪŋ
HAW-ing
hˈɔːɹɪŋ
HAW-ring
Definition
Speaking with hesitation, making sounds like 'uh' or 'um' because you are unsure, embarrassed, or unwilling to answer directly.
Usage & Nuances
Used mostly in the phrase 'hem and haw.' Informal; describes hesitant, indirect, or awkward speech. Not commonly used alone ('hawing'), except to explicitly point out someone's hesitancy.
Spanish: titubear - dudar (al hablar)Portuguese (BR): hesitar - enrolar (na fala)Portuguese (PT): hesitar - enrolar (na fala)Chinese (Simplified): 犹豫（说话时）- 吞吞吐吐Chinese (Traditional): 猶豫（說話時）- 吞吞吐吐Hindi: हिचकिचाना (बोलते समय)Arabic: يتلكأ (في الكلام) - يترددBengali: অস্বস্তিকর বা দ্বিধাগ্রস্তভাবে কথা বলা - আ-উ শব্দ করাRussian: мычать (от смущения) - запинатьсяJapanese: 口ごもる - ためらいながら話すVietnamese: ấp úng - nói ngập ngừngKorean: 더듬거리다 - 머뭇거리며 말하다Turkish: çekinerek konuşmak - mırıldanmakUrdu: ہچکچاتے ہوئے بولنا - اٹک اٹک کر بولناIndonesian: berbicara ragu-ragu - berkata 'eh' atau 'hmm'
Example Sentences
He kept hawing instead of giving a clear answer.
basic
Stop hawing and just tell us the truth.
basic
She was hawing because she didn't want to admit her mistake.
basic
You could hear him hawing during the whole interview.
natural
Whenever he's nervous, he starts hawing before every sentence.
natural
The class grew impatient with his hawing and waited for a real answer.
natural