Pronunciation: /hɔː/

Definitions of haw

noun a sound or utterance made by a person to express hesitation or uncertainty

Example Sentences

A1 The cowboy used a haw to guide his horse.

A2 The haw of the ship was damaged during the storm.

B1 The farmer's call of 'haw' directed the oxen to turn left.

B2 The haw of the falcon could be heard as it soared through the sky.

C1 The expert falconer knew how to interpret the haw of his bird.

C2 The subtle haw of the conductor signaled the orchestra to begin playing.

verb to make a sound or utterance like 'haw'

Example Sentences

A1 The cowboy would haw his horse to turn left.

A2 The farmer hawed at his dog to come back.

B1 The driver hawed at the stubborn mule to move forward.

B2 The trainer hawed commands to the sled dogs during the race.

C1 The experienced horse whisperer knew how to haw the stallion with precision.

C2 The skilled falconer could haw his bird of prey with a single gesture.

interjection an exclamation or utterance expressing hesitation or uncertainty

Example Sentences

A1 Haw! That was a funny joke.

A2 Haw, I can't believe you did that!

B1 Haw, what a surprise to see you here!

B2 Haw, that movie was really intense.

C1 Haw, I never expected to see you at this event.

C2 Haw, the way he reacted was quite unexpected.

Examples of haw in a Sentence

formal The hawthorn tree is known for its beautiful white flowers.

informal Hey, did you see that guy's haw tattoos on his arm?

slang I can't believe she hawed him in front of everyone like that.

figurative The politician's speech was full of haw and lacked substance.

Grammatical Forms of haw

past tense

hawed

plural

haws

comparative

hawer

superlative

hawest

present tense

haws

future tense

will haw

perfect tense

have hawed

continuous tense

is hawing

singular

haw

positive degree

haw

infinitive

to haw

gerund

hawing

participle

hawed

Origin and Evolution of haw

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Old English
Story behind the word: The word 'haw' originated from Old English haga, meaning an enclosed field or pasture.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the meaning of 'haw' evolved to also refer to the fruit of the hawthorn tree and as an exclamation to get someone's attention or express hesitation.