Hiccup

Pronunciation: /ˈhɪkəp/

Definitions of hiccup

noun a spasm of the diaphragm resulting in a sudden, involuntary inhalation that is followed by a closing of the glottis and accompanied by a sharp, distinctive sound

Example Sentences

A1 I had a hiccup while trying to speak.

A2 She couldn't stop the hiccups during the movie.

B1 The presentation went smoothly without any hiccups.

B2 The project faced a major hiccup due to unexpected delays.

C1 The hiccup in the system caused a temporary shutdown of operations.

C2 Despite a few hiccups, the event was a huge success.

Examples of hiccup in a Sentence

formal The speaker experienced a brief hiccup in their presentation, but quickly recovered.

informal I always get hiccups when I drink soda too fast.

slang I had a hiccup in my plan, but I managed to fix it before anyone noticed.

figurative The economy experienced a hiccup due to the sudden drop in consumer spending.

Grammatical Forms of hiccup

• past tense: hiccuped
• plural: hiccups
• comparative: more hiccuping
• superlative: most hiccuping
• present tense: hiccups
• future tense: will hiccup
• perfect tense: has hiccuped
• continuous tense: is hiccuping
• singular: hiccup
• positive degree: hiccup
• infinitive: to hiccup
• gerund: hiccuping
• participle: hiccuping

Origin and Evolution of hiccup

First Known Use: 1580 year

Language of Origin: English

Story behind the word: The word 'hiccup' is believed to have originated from the sound produced when a person experiences involuntary spasms of the diaphragm. It imitates the sound made during the action, hence the onomatopoeic nature of the term.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'hiccup' has remained relatively consistent in its usage and meaning, referring to the involuntary contraction of the diaphragm causing a sudden intake of breath accompanied by a sound. However, variations in spelling such as 'hiccough' have been used historically.