English Dictionary

hem and haw

動詞

アメリカ英語 慣用表現

(idiomatic, US) To discuss, deliberate, or contemplate rather than taking action or making up one's mind.

日本語の意味

ためらいながら話す、決断を先延ばしにする / 口ごもる、迷いながら話を進める / 躊躇して行動を起こさない

Instead of making a decision, the committee continued to hem and haw until the meeting ran out of time.

決定を下す代わりに、委員会は会議の時間が尽きるまでぐずぐずしていた。

意味（1）

(idiomatic, US) To discuss, deliberate, or contemplate rather than taking action or making up one's mind.

If you hem and haw long enough, someone else will do it first.

意味（2）

To mumble and procrastinate in one's speech, especially with a reply to a hard question or with voicing a decision on a topical matter; to evade a question, giving vague answers; to equivocate or temporize.

The man at the Chief Office hemmed and hawed. 'We make it a rule,' he explained, 'to give no information concerning our clients.' 'But in this case,' I urged, 'it is the client who requests you to give the information concerning himself.' Again he hemmed and hawed.

hems and haws （ present singular third-person ）

hemming and hawing （ participle present ）

hemmed and hawed （ participle past ）

hemmed and hawed （ past ）