hiccup
Plural: hiccups
Noun
- (usually plural) the state of having reflex spasms of the diaphragm accompanied by a rapid closure of the glottis producing an audible sound; sometimes a symptom of indigestion
- "how do you cure the hiccups?"
- A spasm of the diaphragm, or the resulting sound.
- A spasm of the diaphragm, or the resulting sound.
- A case of the hiccups; the condition of having the spasms of hiccupping; singultus; diaphragmatic myoclonus.
- Any spasm or sudden change.
- A minor obstacle or setback.
Verb
Verb Forms: hiccuped, hiccuping, hiccups, hiccupped, hiccupping
- To involuntarily make a sharp, repeated inspiratory sound.
- breathe spasmodically, and make a sound
- "When you have to hiccup, drink a glass of cold water"
- To produce a hiccup; have the hiccups.
- To say with a hiccup.
- To produce an abortive sound like a hiccup.
Examples
- "I haven't touched a drop, officer," the suspect hiccupped.
- The car engine hiccupped but wouldn't start.
- The game had a slight HICCUP when the internet briefly disconnected during his Scrabble turn.
- There's been a slight hiccup in the processing of this quarter's results.
Origin / Etymology
From earlier hickop, alteration of earlier hicket, hyckock, from hic (onomatopoeic) + -ock (diminutive suffix).
Akin to Scots hick, hix (“hiccup”), West Frisian hik (“hiccup”), Dutch hik (“hiccup”), Middle Low German hükup, huckup, hueckup (modern Low German hick (“hiccup”)), German hicksen (“to hiccup”, verb), Alemannic German Hidsgi (“hiccup”), Danish hikke (“hiccup”), Swedish hicka (“hiccup”), hicka (“to hiccup”, verb), Icelandic hiksti (“hiccup”).
Displaced Middle English yexen, ȝisken, ȝixen, ȝoxen (“to hiccup”), from Old English ġiscian, ġeocsian (“to hiccup”).
Scrabble Score: 15
hiccup: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Wordhiccup: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
hiccup: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary