hem and hah
Avoid committing yourself
To hem and hah (also hem and haw) is to speak hesitantly or evasively, stalling rather than giving a direct answer: She hemmed and hahhed when I asked if she'd be there.
The phrase imitates the throat-clearing sounds people make while thinking of what to say.
- umSpoken hesitation marker
- hawEquine left-turn command
- humLow steady sound
- hum and hawHesitate in speech
- pussyfootingActing with excessive caution
beat around the bush · hesitate · dilly dally · er · fence-sitting · sit on the fence · foot-dragging · shilly-shallying · equivocation · dithering · wavering · waffle · vacillate · on the fence · uh · beating around the bush · talk in circles · circumlocution
hem and hahdecide
Reach a conclusion
commit · make up one's mind · take a stand · take action · choose
hem and hahspeak plainly
get to the point · cut to the chase · speak clearly · speak one's mind · tell it like it is