hum and haw

English

Alternative forms

• hem and haw (US)
• hum and ha (UK)
• um and ah (AUS)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌhʌm ənd ˈhɔː/

Verb

hum and haw (third-person singular simple present hums and haws, present participle humming and hawing, simple past and past participle hummed and hawed)

1. (British, idiomatic) To procrastinate; to take a long time before doing something or taking a decision.

   We hummed and hawed before finally deciding to buy this house.

Translations

Procrastinate indecisively

• Finnish: soutaa ja huovata
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