haw

1. An imitation of laughter, often used to express scorn or disbelief. Often doubled or tripled (haw haw or haw haw haw).

   You think that song was good? Haw!

   1 more example

   The bitter laugh laughs at that which is not good, it is the ethical laugh. The hollow laugh laughs at that which is not true, it is the intellectual laugh. Not good! Not true! Well well. But the mirthless laugh is the dianoetic laugh, down the snout — Haw! — so.

   1953, Samuel Beckett, Watt, [Paris]: Olympia Press, →OCLC

2. An intermission or hesitation of speech, with a sound somewhat like "haw"; the sound so made.

   Hums or haws.

   1720, William Congreve, An Impossible Thing

present singular third person haws · participle present hawing · participle past hawed · past hawed

1. To stop, in speaking, with a sound like haw; to speak with interruption and hesitation.

plural haws

1. Fruit of the hawthorn.

   The kanary-nut may be considered equal to a hazel-nut, but I have met with nothing else superior to our crabs, our haws, beech-nuts, wild plums, and acorns; fruits which would be highly esteemed by the natives of these islands, and would form an important part of their sustenance.

   1869, Alfred Russel Wallace, The Malay Archipelago, volume II, London: Macmillan and Co., page 103

   Synonyms: hawthorn berry

2. historicalA hedge.
3. obsoleteSomething that has little value or importance; a whit or jot.

   wele not leaue a man of lawe, Nor a paper worth a hawe, And make him worſe than a dawe, That ſhall ſtand againſt Iacke Strawe.

   1593, anonymous author, The Life and Death of Iacke Straw […], →OCLC, Act II

1. An instruction for a horse or other animal to turn towards the driver, typically left.

present singular third person haws · participle present hawing · participle past hawed · past hawed

1. To turn towards the driver, typically to the left.

   This horse won't haw when I tell him to.

   Antonyms: gee

2. To cause (an animal) to turn left.

   You may have to go to the front of the pack and physically haw the lead dog.

   Antonyms: gee

plural haws

1. countableanatomyThe third eyelid, or nictitating membrane.
2. uncountableA disease of the nictitating membrane.

plural Haws

1. A topographic and patronymic surname transferred from the given name.
2. A river in the US state of North Carolina.