To clear the throat and spit out mucus, is this "hawk and spit" or "hock and spit"?

Question

I have always assumed "hawk" was the correct spelling, but recently read in a novel "Hock".

Answer 1

I cannot believe that ALL of the previous answers are absolutely and completely WRONG. It is HAWK. Look it up in the dictionary: "To hawk: to clear the throat of mucus". IT IS HAWK.

The novel was WRONG and the editor did not catch the misspelling because so many people just use spell check these days. They have forgotten how to REALLY spell.

EDIT: IT IS NOT NOT NOT "Hock". I looked it up in the dictionary. You can look it up, too. And there you will find it is HAWK. How many of you OWN a dictionary?

Answer 2

While Taivo is correct to say that his dictionary spells the word in question H-A-W-K, he jumps the gun a bit by suggesting that H-O-C-K is incorrect. Numerous dictionaries include the phrase "hock a loogie." Many times more websites use the phrase "hock a loogie" than "hawk a loogie." When people use the phrase "hock a loogie" so many times more often than "hawk a loogie," I think it's fair to say that usage trumps the dictionary. It's likely that some dictionaries simply haven't caught up to popular use.

Answer 3

Hock and spit

Answer 4

Definately, 'Hock and spit'

Answer 5

who cares? that is one of the most vile things a person can do. makes me vomit every time I even hear someone doing it.


and it is hock

Answer 6

its hock and spit

Answer 7

hock...could also be to hock a loogie

Answer 8

it's called a lugi lol no it's hock

Answer 9

I think it's "hock".

Answer 10

The novel is correct.