What does hem and haw mean?

Definitions for hem and haw
hem and haw

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word hem and haw.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. hem and hawverb

    utter `hems' and `haws'; indicated hesitation

    "He hemmed and hawed when asked to address the crowd"

Wiktionary

  1. hem and hawverb

    (US) To discuss, deliberate, or contemplate rather than taking action or making up one's mind.

  2. Etymology: hem + and + haw

Wikipedia

  1. hem and haw

    A speech disfluency, also spelled speech dysfluency, is any of various breaks, irregularities, or non-lexical vocables which occur within the flow of otherwise fluent speech. These include "false starts", i.e. words and sentences that are cut off mid-utterance; phrases that are restarted or repeated and repeated syllables; "fillers", i.e. grunts or non-lexical utterances such as huh, uh, erm, um, well, so, like, and hmm; and "repaired" utterances, i.e. instances of speakers correcting their own slips of the tongue or mispronunciations (before anyone else gets a chance to). Huh is claimed to be a universal syllable.

ChatGPT

  1. hem and haw

    Hem and haw generally refers to the act of hesitating, being indecisive, or avoiding coming to a decisive conclusion. It typically implies a lack of clarity or certainty and a tendency to speak or act evasively. The phrase is often used to describe someone who is reluctant to commit to a specific answer or decision.

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Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of hem and haw in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of hem and haw in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5


Translations for hem and haw

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"hem and haw." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 25 Apr. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/hem+and+haw>.

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