haw

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)
haw
    n 1: a spring-flowering shrub or small tree of the genus
         Crataegus [syn: {hawthorn}, {haw}]
    2: the nictitating membrane of a horse
    v 1: utter `haw'; "he hemmed and hawed"
from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Haw \Haw\ (h[add]), n. [OE. hawe, AS. haga; akin to D. haag
   headge, G. hag, hecke, Icel. hagi pasture, Sw. hage, Dan.
   have garden. [root]12. Cf. {Haggard}, {Ha-ha}, {Haugh},
   {Hedge}.]
   [1913 Webster]
   1. A hedge; an inclosed garden or yard.
      [1913 Webster]

            And eke there was a polecat in his haw. --Chaucer.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. The fruit of the hawthorn. --Bacon.
      [1913 Webster]
from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Haw \Haw\, v. t.
   To cause to turn, as a team, to the near side, or toward the
   driver; as, to haw a team of oxen.
   [1913 Webster]

   {To haw and gee}, or {To haw and gee about}, to lead this way
      and that at will; to lead by the nose; to master or
      control. [Colloq.]
      [1913 Webster]
from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Haw \Haw\, n. [Etymol. uncertain.] (Anat.)
   The third eyelid, or nictitating membrane. See {Nictitating
   membrane}, under {Nictitate}.
   [1913 Webster]
from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Haw \Haw\, n. [Cf. ha an interjection of wonder, surprise, or
   hesitation.]
   An intermission or hesitation of speech, with a sound
   somewhat like haw! also, the sound so made. "Hums or haws."
   --Congreve.
   [1913 Webster]
from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Haw \Haw\, v. i.
   To stop, in speaking, with a sound like haw; to speak with
   interruption and hesitation.
   [1913 Webster]

         Cut it short; don't prose -- don't hum and haw.
                                                  --Chesterfield.
   [1913 Webster]

   {hemming and hawing} speaking hesitantly and inarticulately,
      with numerous pauses and interjections.
      [PJC]
from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Haw \Haw\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Hawed} (h[add]d); p. pr. & vb.
   n. {Hawing}.] [Written also hoi.] [Perhaps connected with
   here, hither; cf., however, F. huhau, hurhau, hue, interj.
   used in turning a horse to the right, G. hott, h["u], interj.
   used in calling to a horse.]
   To turn to the near side, or toward the driver; -- said of
   cattle or a team: a word used by teamsters in guiding their
   teams, and most frequently in the imperative. See {Gee}.
   [1913 Webster]

   {To haw and gee}, or {To haw and gee about}, to go from one
      thing to another without good reason; to have no settled
      purpose; to be irresolute or unstable. [Colloq.]
      [1913 Webster]
from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Hawthorn \Haw"thorn`\ (h[add]"th[^o]rn`), n. [AS.
   haga[thorn]orn, h[ae]g[thorn]orn. See {Haw} a hedge, and
   {Thorn}.] (Bot.)
   A thorny shrub or tree (the {Crat[ae]gus oxyacantha}), having
   deeply lobed, shining leaves, small, roselike, fragrant
   flowers, and a fruit called {haw}. It is much used in Europe
   for hedges, and for standards in gardens. The American
   hawthorn is {Crat[ae]gus cordata}, which has the leaves but
   little lobed.
   [1913 Webster]

         Gives not the hawthorn bush a sweeter shade
         To shepherds?                            --Shak.
   [1913 Webster]
from Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
41 Moby Thesaurus words for "haw":
      avert, bear off, draw aside, ease off, edge off, falter, fly off,
      gee, glance, glance off, go off, halt, head off, hem, hem and haw,
      hesitate, hum, hum and haw, jib, make way for, mammer, move aside,
      sheer off, shove aside, shunt, shy, shy off, side, sidestep,
      sidetrack, sidle, stammer, steer clear of, step aside, stumble,
      stutter, switch, turn aside, turn away, turn back, veer off
antiflux / dictionary / haw
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