hiccup

Meanings

Noun

• A spasm of the diaphragm, or the resulting sound.
• Any spasm or sudden change.
• A minor setback.

Verb

• To produce a hiccup; have the hiccups.
• To say with a hiccup.
• To produce an abortive sound like a hiccup.

Related

Broader meaning words

• myoclonus

Origin

• From earlier hickop, alteration of earlier hicket, hyckock, from hic (onomatopoeic) + -ock. Akin to West Frisian hik, Dutch hik, Middle Low German hükup, huckup, hueckup (modern Low German hick), German hicksen, Alemannic German Hidsgi, Danish hikke, Swedish hicka, hicka, Icelandic hiksti. Compare also Saterland Frisian Snukkop, German Low German Snückup, German Schluckauf.
• Displaced Middle English yexen, ȝisken, ȝixen, ȝoxen, from Old English ġiscian, ġeocsian.