haw

noun
UK: /hɔː/
US: /hɑː/

  1. A type of fruit that grows on hawthorn trees.

    1. The birds love to eat the bright red haw. [ ] [ ]
    2. After the first frost, the haws become softer and sweeter, making them easier for wildlife to consume. [ ] [ ]
haw verb

  1. To hesitate or pause while speaking, often with a sound.

    1. He began to haw and hem before answering. [ ] [ ]
    2. The speaker had to haw a little before she could start her presentation properly. [ ] [ ]

  2. To offer something for sale by calling out in public.

    1. The man hawked newspapers on the corner. [ ] [ ]
    2. They used to haw fresh produce from door to door in the neighborhood. [ ] [ ]
haw intransitive-verb

  1. To clear the throat noisily.

    1. He had to haw up some phlegm, it was awful. [ ] [ ]
    2. After a bit of walking, he hawked and spat on the path, he felt relieved. [ ] [ ]
haw transitive-verb

  1. To sell (goods) by offering them from place to place.

    1. She was hawking jewelry in the market. [ ] [ ]
    2. Street vendors hawked their wares to tourists passing by, they need money. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The phonetic transcription of "haw" is /hɔː/ in British English and /hɑː/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Example usage of "haw": "The birds love to eat the bright red haw.". More examples on the page.