intransitive. To falter or stumble in one's speech; esp. to make one or more involuntary repetitions of a consonant or vowel before being able…

intransitive. To stammer; to speak indistinctly.

To stammer, stutter.

To make an inarticulate murmur in a pause of speaking, from hesitation, embarrassment, etc. Usually in to hum and ha (haw): see ha, v., haw, v.1

intransitive. To stammer; to speak indistinctly, mumble. Also transitive: †to utter (obsolete).

intransitive. To stutter.

intransitive. To produce an involuntary rattling noise, esp. in the throat when speaking or breathing. Also: †to stutter (obsolete). Now rare.

intransitive. To speak imperfectly; to stammer, stutter.

intransitive. To stammer, mutter; to vacillate, waver, be undecided.

intransitive. To stammer, stutter.

To stumble in one's speech; to speak hesitatingly or incoherently; to stammer. Of the voice, speech, etc.: To come forth incoherently.

To stammer, hesitate in speech. Obsolete.

intransitive. To utter the sound described under hem, int.; to give a short sharp cough as a signal, etc.; to clear the throat; to stammer or…

To flounder in speech. Obsolete.

intransitive. To speak hesitatingly, falter, stammer; esp. to prattle as a young child; to utter baby-talk.

intransitive. To stutter, to stammer; to have a speech impediment.

intransitive. Perhaps: to stutter.

Said of the tongue: To stumble in articulation; to falter in speaking.

figurative. To proceed irregularly and haltingly in action or speech; (of verse) to have an irregular or halting rhythm, to ‘limp’. Also transitive…

intransitive. To hesitate in speech; to stammer. Cf. hacker, v. 1. Obsolete.

To stammer or falter in speaking. (Cf. stacker, v. 2) Obsolete.

To stutter or stammer; to utter incoherent sounds.

intransitive. To speak with continued involuntary repetition of sounds or syllables, owing to excitement, fear, or constitutional nervous defect…

In combination, as hem and hawk, hem and haw, hem and ha. Cf. hum and haw at haw, v.1, to hum and haw at hum, v.1 2c.

intransitive. To utter ‘ha!’ in hesitation. Chiefly in the combination to hum (hem) and ha: see to hum and ha at hum, v.1 2c.

To make reiterated laborious efforts to speak, to stammer. Now only dialect.

intransitive. To stumble over one's words; to stammer, stutter; to be hesitant or uncertain in one's speech. Obsolete.

intransitive. To utter ‘haw!’ as an expression of hesitation. Usually in the collocation hum (hem) and haw: see to hum and haw at hum, v.1 2c.

figurative. Of the tongue [after French fourcher]: To stumble, trip. Obsolete.

intransitive. Chiefly English regional. To speak haltingly; to stammer, stutter; to ‘hum and haw’. Now rare.

intransitive. To speak with that defect of utterance which consists in substituting for/s/ and/z/ sounds approaching/θ/ and/ð/; either by reason…

To stammer or falter in speech.

To stammer or stutter.

intransitive. To speak in a hesitant or stammering manner; to prevaricate, shilly-shally. Cf. caffle, v.

intransitive. English regional (northern). To mutter; to stammer. Now rare.

transferred and figurative.

intransitive. To say ‘ah’ in hesitation or indecision; to vacillate. Usually in collocation with a similar verb or verbs; now chiefly in to um and ah…

intransitive. Of the voice: to falter, esp. as a result of strong emotion; to be produced in a halting or stuttering manner; to be interrupted or…