hiccough
pronunciation
How to pronounce hiccough in British English:
UK ['hɪkʌp]
How to pronounce hiccough in American English:
US ['hɪkəp]
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- 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
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- Verb:
- breathe spasmodically, and make a sound
Word Origin
- hiccough
- 1620s, variant of hiccup (q.v.) by mistaken association with cough.
Example
- 1. She gave a loud hiccough .
- 2. Every hiccough of our sewers costs us a thousand francs .
- 3. Try not to hiccough at table while eating in company .
- 4. Even during the stockmarket crash of 1929 , there was a mere hiccough before prices sailed higher .
- 5. Objective to analyze the prognosis of patients with acute cerebral hemorrhage complicated by refractory hiccough .