hem and haw

• Vacilar o evitar dar una respuesta directa, perdiendo tiempo o hablando de forma vaga e indecisa, a menudo con sonidos como «eh» y «mmm».

To hesitate, stall, or avoid giving a direct answer; to speak in a vague or indecisive manner, often by making sounds like 'hem' and 'haw'.

1. Hesitate or be indecisiveB2informalamerican

   To pause or hesitate when speaking, often because one is unsure or unwilling to give a direct answer.

   Vacilar o mostrarse indeciso

   • When asked about his plans, he hemmed and hawed for a few minutes.
   • Stop hemming and hawing and just tell me what you think.
   • She hemmed and hawed before finally agreeing to the proposal.