Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense hiccups, present participle hiccuping, present participle hiccupping, past tense, past participle hiccuped, past tense, past participle hiccupped
1. countable noun [oft noun NOUN]
You can refer to a small problem or difficulty as a hiccup, especially if it does not last very long or is easily put right.
A recent sales hiccup is nothing to panic about.
Despite the occasional hiccup, the two countries have had quite cordial relations.
[Also + in]
Synonyms: setback, hold-up, hitch, glitch More Synonyms of hiccup
2. uncountable noun [oft theNOUN]
When you have hiccups, you make repeated sharp sounds in your throat, often because you have been eating or drinking too quickly.
A young baby may frequently get a bout of hiccups during or soon after a feed.
3. countable noun
A hiccup is a sound of the kind that you make when you have hiccups.
4. verb
When you hiccup, you make repeated sharp sounds in your throat.
She was still hiccuping from the egg she had swallowed whole. [VERB]
hiccup in British English
or hiccough (ˈhɪkʌp)
noun
1.
a spasm of the diaphragm producing a sudden breathing in followed by a closing of the glottis, resulting in a sharp sound
a sudden, involuntary contraction of the diaphragm when it begins to allow air into the lungs only to have the glottis suddenly close, producing an abrupt sound
2. [pl., sometimes with sing. v.]
a condition characterized by repeated contractions of this kind
3. Chiefly British, Informal
a difficulty, problem, or setback, usually a minor one; hitch (sense 11)
verb intransitiveWord forms: ˈhicˌcuped or ˈhicˌcupped, ˈhicˌcuping or ˈhicˌcupping
4.
to make a hiccup or hiccups
verb transitive
5.
to utter with hiccups
Also sp. ˈhicˌcough
Word origin
altered < Early ModE hikop, hickock, hicket, of echoic orig. (as also in MDu huckup): var. sp. from assoc. with cough
Examples of 'hiccup' in a sentence
hiccup
We may feel the presentation had hiccups.
Christianity Today (2000)
The car was superb all year and we have had one small hiccup at the wrong time.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
This bout of introspection has been brought on by my most recent ethical hiccup.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Then came our first slight hiccup.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
These businesses will indeed suffer earnings hiccups, as they always have.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
But it may halt your hiccups, too.
The Sun (2015)
Maybe so, but the system still suffered from technical hiccups.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
TO most of us a bout of hiccups is annoying for the few minutes it lasts.
The Sun (2010)
It's just a slight hiccup.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
While what really causes hiccups is unknown, it could be the act of swallowing the sugar that stops the reflex spasm.
The Sun (2012)
There had been no obvious signs of an impending collapse, except that he had been suffering a disturbing bout of hiccups for three weeks.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Small hiccups don't look set to stand in her way, though.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Elsewhere, though, there has been the odd hiccup.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
You would always rather not have small hiccups in the final two weeks before a race, but he does seem to have bounced back very quickly.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
It is already running at 99 per cent capacity, with the result that it can take only a tiny hiccup to cause havoc.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The longest case of hiccups I've seen in a patient lasted two years.
The Sun (2013)
All businesses suffer IT hiccups, but one on which people so rely cannot justify allowing one to knock it so senseless.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
A fun, creative period is on its way, so use this positive energy to clear up any recent hiccups with lovers.
The Sun (2015)
Q I get terrible bouts of hiccups.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
In other languages
hiccup
British English: hiccup NOUN
You can refer to a small problem or difficulty as a hiccup, especially if it does not last very long or is easily put right.
A recent sales hiccup is nothing to panic about.
American English: hiccup
Brazilian Portuguese: soluço
Chinese: 小难题
European Spanish: dificultad
French: contretemps
German: Problem
Italian: contrattempo
Japanese: 一時的な問題
Korean: 일시적인 문제
European Portuguese: soluço
Latin American Spanish: dificultad
British English: hiccup VERB
When you hiccup, you make repeated sharp sounds in your throat.
She was still hiccuping from the egg she had swallowed whole.
American English: hiccup
Brazilian Portuguese: soluçar
Chinese: 小难题
European Spanish: tener hipo
French: avoir le hoquet
German: hicksen
Italian: avere il singhiozzo
Japanese: しゃっくりをする
Korean: 딸꾹질을 하다
European Portuguese: soluçar
Latin American Spanish: tener hipo
Chinese translation of 'hiccup'
hiccup
(ˈhɪkʌp)
vi
打嗝 (dǎgé)
n(c)
(= problem) 小问(問)题(題) (xiǎo wèntí) (个(個), gè)
Derived Forms
hiccupsn pl : to have/get (the) hiccups打嗝 (dǎgé)
(noun)
Definition
a minor difficulty
A recent sales hiccup is nothing to panic about.
Synonyms
setback
He has suffered a serious setback in his political career.
hold-up
They arrived late due to a motorway hold-up.
hitch
The five-hour operation went without a hitch.
glitch
Manufacturing glitches have limited the factory's output.