hiccup
Noun:
- A sudden, involuntary spasm of the diaphragm followed by rapid closure of the vocal cords, producing a characteristic sound: A "hiccup" is a reflex action that causes a sharp intake of breath which is then stopped by the closing of the glottis, creating a "hic" sound. It is often repetitive.
- A minor, temporary setback or interruption: Informally, a "hiccup" can refer to a small, usually brief problem or delay in a process.
Verb:
- To make the sound and have the physical spasm of a hiccup: The action of experiencing a hiccup or a series of hiccups.
Noun: I got a case of the hiccups during the quiet lecture. The project launch had a minor hiccup when the website crashed briefly.
Verb: The baby started to hiccup after drinking her milk too quickly. He hiccuped loudly, then apologized.
"Hiccup" as a countable noun for a single instance: While often used in the plural ("hiccups"), a single spasm can be called "a hiccup." She let out a single loud hiccup.
Metaphorical use for problems: Commonly used in business or technical contexts to describe unforeseen, minor issues. We experienced a few hiccups in the first week, but the system is stable now.
- Hiccup (alternative spelling): Hiccough. This is a less common variant.
- Hiccupping (present participle/gerund): The act of having hiccups.
- Noun (for the spasm): Singultus (medical term).
- Noun (for the problem): Glitch, snag, setback.
- Verb: To have hiccups.
To have (the) hiccups: The standard phrase for experiencing this condition. Do you have any remedies for when you have the hiccups?
A case of the hiccups: An instance of suffering from hiccups. She's got a bad case of the hiccups.
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(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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how do you cure the hiccups?
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breathe spasmodically, and make a sound
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When you have to hiccup, drink a glass of cold water
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