ahem

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /əˈhɛm/ See IPA manual

Freq #4731

Meanings

1

verb
To cough or clear one's throat so as to draw attention.

He wouldn't have been suspected of crying for the world, but he coughed and ahemmed, and finally turned away without speaking.
2

noun
the utterance of a sound similar to clearing the throat

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 noun · the utterance of a sound... hem

Etymology

Onomatopoeic.

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

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