hem and hawAmerican EnglishAmEPAUSE to keep pausing before saying something, and avoid saying it directly 〔说话时〕吞吞吐吐,支支吾吾 SYN British English hum and hawhem and haw• They hemmed and hawed and fiddled with the data, and called for more aid and more research.• Floyd hemmed and hawed when he was asked to introduce himself.
→ hem and haw at hem2(1)