harrumph: Meaning and Definition of

har•rumph

Pronunciation: (hu-rumf'), [key]
— v.i.
  1. to clear the throat audibly in a self-important manner: The professor harrumphed good-naturedly.
  2. to express oneself gruffly.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.