ahems

Occasionally that 'ahem!' of his would come through the partially opened door; but somehow his 'ahems' seemed to lose their ominous character during holidays.

An Arrow in a Sunbeam and Other Tales Frances Lee 1879

It was a dropping fire of serious remarks; with pauses, relieved only by occasional "ahems," the sipping of tea, the sound of spoons falling against the saucers, and the blind shifting of chairs as the flurried servant-maid of the lodgings suddenly came upon them from behind, with the kettle for the teapot, or toast for the table.

Loss and Gain The Story of a Convert John Henry Newman 1845

That clicking sound you heard was the sound of stlounick's (ahems) retracting as he first realized the import of some of the actual data gathered re Hillary's level of support in Missouri versus his Chertoffian gut instincts fueled by his information gleaned from his 5-days-per-week canvassing that he is in the midst of conducting for some time now.

Poll: Hillary Running Well Against Republicans In Missouri 2009

The call for the story being quite eager and unanimous, Arthur settled himself into a comfortable position, and after giving one or two of those preliminary ahems, common to the whole fraternity of story-tellers from time immemorial, he proceeded as follows: --

The Island Home Richard Archer

They were gathered there, waiting for me to come back, and received me with loud and mocking ahems! and respectfully sympathetic toots on a tin horn, kept for that purpose.

Life in Mulberry Street 1901

They were gathered there, waiting for me to come back, and received me with loud and mocking ahems! and respectfully sympathetic toots on a tin horn, kept for that purpose.

The Making of an American Riis, Jacob A 1901

Nina gave two little _ahems_, tense with suppressed mirth; and slowly, indifferently, Chalks turned an absent-minded face in our direction.

Grey Roses Henry Harland 1883

They were gathered there, waiting for me to come back, and received me with loud and mocking ahems! and respectfully sympathetic toots on a tin horn, kept for that purpose.

The Making of an American 1881

The Deacon stepped forward, and, with very evident shaking of the knees, with coughs and ahems, glancing to the right of him and to the left of him, to the heavens above and the earth beneath, with trembling voice he began:

St. Nicholas Magazine for Boys and Girls, Vol. 5, July 1878, No. 9 Various 1868

After the writing was finished, Mr. Dimmerly gave a few awkward preliminary ahems, and then said, "So you go West next Monday?"

From Jest to Earnest Edward Payson Roe 1863