[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/ahem/)

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# ahem

interjection (ahem)

«ahem» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A written sound like a small cough, made to get people's attention, to show you are about to speak, or to show you don't approve of something. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/ahem/#m1)
2. (humorous) Used in writing to point out a joke or a hint: «My birthday is next week, ahem.» [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/ahem/#m2)

### In the lessons

In Alice's Adventures in Wonderland the Mouse, wanting to dry everyone, says «Ahem!» with an important air before reciting the driest thing he knows – a dull history lesson about William the Conqueror. In everyday life a teacher may say «Ahem» to make the class quiet.

### Examples

- «Ahem!» said the Mouse with an important air. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/ahem/#x1)
- The teacher said «Ahem» and the class went quiet. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/ahem/#x2)
- «Ahem, I think you're sitting in my seat.» [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/ahem/#x3)
- «Somebody (ahem) forgot to feed the cat.» [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/ahem/#x4)
- Dad cleared his throat: «Ahem! Dinner is ready.» [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/ahem/#x5)
- «Ahem!» coughed the butler at the door. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/ahem/#x6)
- “Ahem! ahem!” said the Rocket angrily. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/ahem/#x7)

### Note

Said with a little throat-clearing sound: «uh-HEM». Not a real word with meaning on its own; it is a sound.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «ahem» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/ahem/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«ahem» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/ahem.html) on Mova free.