hiccup
hiccup
/ˈhɪkʌp/
(also hiccough)
to have (the) hiccups or a single hiccup
hiccup
/ˈhɪkʌp/
(also hiccough)
1 countable a sharp, usually repeated, sound made in the throat, that is caused by a sudden movement of the diaphragm and that you cannot control She gave a loud hiccup.
Collocations
adjective
small
loud
verb + hiccup
give
let out
2 (the) hiccups plural a series of hiccups I ate too quickly and got hiccups.
He had the hiccups.
He suddenly had an attack of the hiccups.
Collocations
verb + hiccups
get
have
3 countable hiccup (in something) (informal) a small problem or temporary delay There was a slight hiccup in the timetable.
We’ve planned it down to the last detail—we don’t want any unexpected hiccups.
This one defeat was the only hiccup in the team's steady progress up the League.
Apart from the occasional hiccup, things ran pretty well.
Collocations
adjective
little
minor
slight
preposition
hiccup in
Word Origin
late 16th cent.: imitative; the form hiccough arose by association with cough.