hiccup

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   an involuntary spasm of the diaphragm followed by a sudden closure of the vocal cords and a short sound

   A loud hiccup interrupted his attempt to speak.

2. 2
   verb

   to make the short sound caused by repeated spasms of the diaphragm

   She began to hiccup after drinking the water too quickly.

3. 3
   noun

   a minor and usually temporary problem, interruption, or delay

   A brief software hiccup delayed the payment by a few minutes.

An imitative word, altered in the late sixteenth century from earlier hicket or hickock by association with the sound hic. The spelling hiccough arose later from a mistaken association with cough, although it is pronounced like hiccup.

Topics

External links

• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary
• Google Images