| 释义 |
hem and haw
hem 1 H0139700 (hĕm)n.1. An edge or border on a piece of cloth, especially a finished edge, as for a garment or curtain, made by folding an edge under and stitching it down.2. The height or level of the bottom edge of a skirt, dress, or coat; a hemline.tr.v. hemmed, hem·ming, hems 1. To fold back and stitch down the edge of.2. To surround and shut in; enclose: a valley hemmed in by mountains. See Synonyms at enclose.
[Middle English, from Old English hem, hemm.]
hem′mer n.
hem 2 H0139700 (hĕm)n. A short cough or clearing of the throat made especially to gain attention, warn another, hide embarrassment, or fill a pause in speech.intr.v. hemmed, hem·ming, hems 1. To utter a hem.2. To hesitate in speech.Idiom: hem and haw To be hesitant and indecisive; equivocate: "a leader who cannot make up his or her mind, never knows what to do, hems and haws" (Margaret Thatcher).
[From Middle English heminge, coughing, of imitative origin.]Thesaurus| Verb | 1. | hem and haw - utter `hems' and `haws'; indicated hesitation; "He hemmed and hawed when asked to address the crowd"pause, hesitate - interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing; "The speaker paused" |
hem and haw
hem and hawTo speak in an evasive, vague, roundabout way in order to avoid responding to a question or making a definite statement. The phrase comes from the common filler words often used by habit or when one is deciding what to say. How much longer do we have to hear this guy hem and haw? I wish they would get on with the debate.See also: and, haw, hemhem and haw (around)Inf. to be uncertain about something; to be evasive; to say "ah" and "eh" when speaking—avoiding saying something meaningful. Stop hemming and hawing around. I want an answer. Don't just hem and haw around. Speak up. We want to hear what you think.See also: and, haw, hemhem and hawBe hesitant and indecisive; avoid committing oneself, as in When asked about their wedding date, she hemmed and hawed, or The President hemmed and hawed about new Cabinet appointments. This expression imitates the sounds of clearing one's throat. [Late 1700s] See also: and, haw, hemhem and haw BRITISH, AMERICAN or hum and haw BRITISHIf you hem and haw or hum and haw, you take a long time to say something because you cannot think of the right words, or because you are not sure what to say. Tim hemmed and hawed, but finally told his boss the truth. My mother hummed and hawed at first, but eventually she sent her agreement. Note: People sometimes use hum and ha with the same meaning. Abu hummed and ha-ed a little.See also: and, haw, hem hem and haw To be hesitant and indecisive; equivocate: "a leader who cannot make up his or her mind, never knows what to do, hems and haws" (Margaret Thatcher).See also: and, haw, hemhem and haw, toTo avoid giving a definite answer. This expression is imitative of the sounds made in clearing the throat or making a slight noise to attract attention, signify agreement, or express doubt. Its use to express indecision began in the early eighteenth century. Jonathan Swift’s poem “My Lady’s Lamentation” (1728) had one version: “He haws and he hums. At last out it comes.” Much later Bliss Carman defined it poetically: “Hem and Haw were the sons of sin, created to shally and shirk; Hem lay ’round and Haw looked on while God did all the work” (“Hem and Haw,” 1896). See also: and, hemhem and hawTo refuse to give a definite answer. “Hem,” similar in derivation to the interjection “ahem,” meant to hesitate. “Haw” meant much the same sense of being noncommittal. Combine the two, and you have someone who's stalling for time and hoping not to have to respond any further.See also: and, haw, hemEncyclopediaSeehumhem and haw
Words related to hem and hawverb utter 'hems' and 'haws'Related Words |