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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Hiccup Definition, Usage & Examples (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：spasmodic sound (hiccup)

hiccup 🔊

/ˈhɪkʌp/

A sudden sound you make when air comes from your stomach through your mouth, often after eating or drinking.

Hiccup illustration showing a person experiencing a sudden involuntary spasm after a meal.

spasmodic sound 🔊

➕

/spæzˈmɒdɪk saʊnd/

An involuntary, spasmodic sound made by the sudden closure of the glottis following a spasm of the diaphragm.

📁 Category：Diet & Health 🔖 Level：Beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

Imitative in origin, from the sound 'hic'.

💡 Mnemonic

HICCUP spells 'Have I Ceased Chewing Unwisely?', linking the sound to its common cause.

📖 Example

He had a loud hiccup right after drinking the soda, which made him a bit embarrassed. 🔊 He produced a loud hiccup immediately after consuming the soda, causing him slight embarrassment.

🔗 Collocations

have a hiccup – to experience a hiccup

a bad case of the hiccups – a prolonged bout of hiccupping

get rid of hiccups – to stop hiccupping

🔄 Synonyms

burp (n.) – A noise made when air from the stomach comes out through the mouth, but typically louder and more voluntary.

singultus (n.) – The medical term for hiccups.

🚫 Antonyms

silence (n.) – The complete absence of sound.

🌱 Derivatives

hiccuping (v./n.) – The act of making hiccup sounds.

📖 Cultural Story

The metaphorical use of 'hiccup' to describe a minor, temporary problem is a common feature of modern business and tech jargon, frequently used in reports to downplay setbacks.

Meaning 2：minor glitch (hiccup)

hiccup 🔊

/ˈhɪkʌp/

A small, temporary problem or delay that slows things down but is usually not serious.

minor glitch 🔊

➕

/ˈmaɪnə ɡlɪtʃ/

A brief, minor, and usually temporary interruption or malfunction in a process or system.

📁 Category：Technological Inventions 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

The launch of the new app went smoothly, with just a minor technical hiccup that was fixed in minutes. 🔊 The new app's deployment was successful overall, encountering only a small technical issue resolved quickly.

🔗 Collocations

experience a hiccup – to encounter a minor problem

a minor hiccup – a very small and insignificant problem

technical hiccup – a small problem related to technology

🔄 Synonyms

snag (n.) – An unexpected or hidden obstacle or drawback.

glitch (n.) – A sudden, usually temporary malfunction or irregularity, especially in a machine or system.

blip (n.) – An unexpected, minor, and typically temporary deviation from a general trend.

🚫 Antonyms

smooth sailing (n. phrase) – Progress that is easy and uninterrupted by problems.