um and ah

(redirected from ummed and ahhed)

um and ah

To be hesitant or indecisive, especially when speaking out loud about a decision. "Um" and "ah" are common filler words used by habit or when one is deciding what to say. Try not to um and ah so much when you're considering a counter-proposal—it's not professional. It felt like that guy ummed and ahed for five minutes before he gave me his order.
See also: ah, and, um

ˌum and ˈaah (about something)

(also ˌhum/ˌhem and ˈhaw less frequent) (informal) speak but say nothing important because you need more time to think about a problem, matter, etc: He ummed and aahed for about half an hour and then finally said he would lend me the money.After a lot of umming and aahing, he finally said yes to the plan.
Um, aah, etc. are sounds that people make when they hesitate or do not know what to say next.
See also: aah, and, um
References in periodicals archive ?
He ummed and ahhed about it but eventually said 'Oh go on then!'.
"We ummed and ahhed about bringing a container over from Australia because it costs about $8,000.
I had always ummed and ahhed about whether I would do it but on the phone I immediately said yes.
"For the last 10 years they've ummed and ahhed about things like who's paying for the road so in the end the Welsh Government intervened to pay for it.
WILLIAM HAGGAS, who ummed and ahhed about running Sea Of Class in the Investec Oaks, has another tricky decision on his hands after seeing the emerging filly prove too good for her rivals in the Listed feature.
The judges ummed and ahhed about the different tastes and textures but I could have told them within a second that much of it was rotten.
"We ummed and ahhed about whether we should do that for so long, but Brett says despite break-up never fell it was actually the label and our management that really pushed us.
"We ummed and ahhed about whether we should do that for so long, but it Brett says break-never was actually the label and our management that really pushed us.
Red lines have disappeared as soon as they have been etched, and four years have dragged on, with hundreds of thousands of deaths, and no end in sight, while the U.S., supposedly the superpower the world is stuck with, has ummed and ahhed, not seeming to have any clue how to progress.
I ummed and ahhed and L'Avenir recalled sweet shop Sarsaparilla tablets.
"I ummed and ahhed about whether I would take it because I've never done it for accolades.
We ummed and ahhed whether to keep him back for the Champion Hurdle this year and not even go chasing, but he's built like a chaser - he's won point-topoints in Ireland.
"Brad ummed and ahhed about it for a while but decided to go for it," the Sun quoted a source as saying.
GOH ummed and ahhed (as is her prerogative) but eventually decided on the smoked haddock fishcake with egg (pounds 6.95) - a big portion for a starter, but quality as well as quantity; a crispy outer, solid but not stodgy, flaky fish and the creamiest of velvety egg yokes, with a horseradish hollandaise that was a great combination.