# haw

/ˈhɔ/ (US) · /hˈɔː/ (UK) · CEFR C2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/haw
Updated: 2026-05-08

## Definition

to pause or hesitate while speaking because you are not sure what to say. It is almost always used in the phrase 'hem and haw'.

For teachers: to hesitate or make indecisive sounds during speech. Typically occurs in the fixed binomial 'hem and haw' to indicate stalling or an inability to reach a decision.

## Examples

- Stop trying to haw and just tell me the truth.
- The manager began to hem and haw when asked directly about the upcoming layoffs.
- Rather than providing a definitive answer to the committee, the witness continued to hem and haw, effectively stalling the investigation for another hour.

## Pitfalls

- Not "he began to haw and hem" but "he began to hem and haw" — The idiom is a fixed binomial; the order of the words cannot be reversed.

## Usage notes

- Almost exclusively used alongside 'hem' as part of the phrasal idiom 'hem and haw'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.