hiccupping








noun

  1. a quick, involuntary inhalation that follows a spasm of the diaphragm and is suddenly checked by closure of the glottis, producing a short, relatively sharp sound.
  2. Usually hiccups. the condition of having such spasms: She got the hiccups just as she began to speak.
  3. Informal. a minor difficulty, interruption, setback, etc.: a hiccup in the stock market.

verb (used without object), hic·cuped or hic·cupped, hic·cup·ing or hic·cup·ping.

  1. to make the sound of a hiccup: The motor hiccuped as it started.
  2. to have the hiccups.
  3. Informal. to experience a temporary decline, setback, interruption, etc.: There was general alarm when the economy hiccuped.

noun

  1. a spasm of the diaphragm producing a sudden breathing in followed by a closing of the glottis, resulting in a sharp soundTechnical name: singultus
  2. the state or condition of having such spasms
  3. informal a minor difficulty or problem

verb -cups, -cuping, -cuped, -cups, -cupping, -cupped, -coughs, -coughing or -coughed

  1. (intr) to make a hiccup or hiccups
  2. (tr) to utter with a hiccup or hiccups
v.

1580s; see hiccup (n.).

n.

1570s, hickop, earlier hicket, hyckock, “a word meant to imitate the sound produced by the convulsion of the diaphragm” [Abram Smythe Farmer, “Folk-Etymology,” London, 1882]. Cf. French hoquet, Danish hikke, etc. Modern spelling first recorded 1788; An Old English word for it was ælfsogoða, so called because hiccups were thought to be caused by elves.

n.

  1. A spasm of the diaphragm causing sudden inhalation interrupted by spasmodic closure of the glottis, producing a characteristic noise.
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