- the round or oval fruit (a pome) of the hawthorn, usually red or yellow, containing one to five seeds
- another name for hawthorn
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
haw1 /hɔ/USA pronunciation
v. [no object]
Haw., an abbreviation of:
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to utter a sound representing a hesitation or pause in speech (usually in the expression: hem and haw):He hemmed and hawed a bit before answering directly.
Haw., an abbreviation of:
- Place NamesHawaii.
haw1
(hô),USA pronunciation v.i.
n.
haw2 (hô),USA pronunciation interj.
v.t., v.i.
haw3 (hô),USA pronunciation n.
haw4 (hô),USA pronunciation n.
Haw.,
- to utter a sound representing a hesitation or pause in speech.
n.
- a sound or pause of hesitation. Cf. hem2 (def. 3).
- imitative 1625–35
haw2 (hô),USA pronunciation interj.
- (used as a word of command to a horse or other draft animal, usually directing it to turn to the left.)
v.t., v.i.
- to turn or make a turn to the left:The horse refused to haw.Cf. gee1.
- 1835–45, American; apparently origin, originally the imperatire. haw! look! of Middle English hawen, Old English hāwian; akin to Latin cavēre to beware
haw3 (hô),USA pronunciation n.
- Plant Biologythe fruit of the Old World hawthorn, Crataegus laevigata, or of other species of the same genus.
- Plant Biologythe hawthorn.
- before 1000; Middle English; Old English haga, presumably identical with haga hedge, fence; compare hawthorn
haw4 (hô),USA pronunciation n.
- Zoologythe thin, protective membrane at the inner corner of the lower eyelid of a horse, dog, etc.;
nictitating membrane.
- origin, originally uncertain 1515–1525
Haw.,
- Place NamesHawaii.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
haw /hɔː/ n
haw /hɔː/ n , interj
- an inarticulate utterance, as of hesitation, embarrassment, etc; hem
- (intransitive) to make this sound
- hem and haw, hum and haw ⇒ See hem2
haw /hɔː/ n
- the nictitating membrane of a horse or other domestic animal
'haw' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
ha-ha
- haw-haw
- hawk
- hedge
- hem
- hum
- Joyce
- bearberry
- black haw
- blackthorn
- gee
- Hawaii
- hawfinch
- hawser bend
- hawthorn
- Hawthorne effect
- hayward
- Indian hawthorn
- Lord Haw-Haw
- pear haw
- poison haw
- possum haw
- water hawthorn
- yeddo hawthorn
- Sadie Hawkins
- sheepberry