Hem And Haw

B1 8+

Pronunciation: /hɛm ənd hɔ/

Definitions of hem and haw

noun a verb phrase meaning to hesitate or speak evasively

Example Sentences

A1 I don't like it when people hem and haw instead of making a decision.

A2 She always hem and haw before giving her opinion on something.

B1 The manager's constant hemming and hawing is starting to frustrate the team.

B2 After much hemming and hawing, they finally agreed on a compromise.

C1 His constant hemming and hawing made it difficult to trust his judgment.

C2 The CEO's hemming and hawing only served to delay the decision-making process.

verb to hesitate or speak evasively

Example Sentences

A1 I hem and hawed about which movie to watch.

A2 She hemmed and hawed before finally making a decision.

B1 The committee hemmed and hawed over the budget proposal.

B2 After hemming and hawing for hours, he still couldn't decide.

C1 The CEO hemmed and hawed during the press conference, avoiding direct answers.

C2 Despite hemming and hawing, the politician eventually revealed his true intentions.

Examples of hem and haw in a Sentence

formal During the meeting, the committee members continued to hem and haw over the budget proposal.

informal Stop hemming and hawing and just make a decision already!

slang Quit hemming and hawing and just pick something, dude.

figurative She always hems and haws when it comes to making important life decisions.

Grammatical Forms of hem and haw

past tense

hemmed and hawed

plural

hems and haws

present tense

hem and haw

future tense

will hem and haw

perfect tense

have hemmed and hawed

continuous tense

is hemming and hawing

singular

hem and haw

positive degree

hem and haw

infinitive

to hem and haw

gerund

hemming and hawing

participle

hemmed and hawed

Origin and Evolution of hem and haw

First Known Use: 1601 year
Language of Origin: Middle English
Story behind the word: The phrase 'hem and haw' originated from the Middle English words 'hem' and 'haw', which were used as interjections to indicate hesitation or indecision.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the phrase 'hem and haw' evolved to describe someone who is hesitant or indecisive in their speech or actions.