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- 10 dictionary resultshum
[huhm] 
verb, hummed, hum⋅ming, noun, interjection –verb (used without object)
| 1. | to make a low, continuous, droning sound. |
| 2. | to give forth an indistinct sound of mingled voices or noises. |
| 3. | to utter an indistinct sound in hesitation, embarrassment, dissatisfaction, etc.; hem. |
| 4. | to sing with closed lips, without articulating words. |
| 5. | to be in a state of busy activity: The household hummed in preparation for the wedding. |
| 6. | British Slang. to have a bad odor, as of stale perspiration. |
–verb (used with object)
| 7. | to sound, sing, or utter by humming: to hum a tune. |
| 8. | to bring, put, etc., by humming: to hum a child to sleep. |
–noun
| 9. | the act or sound of humming; an inarticulate or indistinct murmur; hem. |
| 10. | Audio. an unwanted low-frequency sound caused by power-line frequencies in any audio component. |
–interjection
| 11. | (an inarticulate sound uttered in contemplation, hesitation, dissatisfaction, doubt, etc.) |
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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|
Link To hum
| hum (hŭm) v. hummed, hum·ming, hums v. intr.
[Middle English hummen, of imitative origin.] hum'ma·ble adj. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Hum
Hum\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Hummed; p. pr. & vb. n. Humming.] [Of imitative origin; cf. G. hummen, D. hommelen. [root]15.]1. To make a low, prolonged sound, like that of a bee in flight; to drone; to murmur; to buzz; as, a top hums. --P. Fletcher. Still humming on, their drowsy course they keep. --Pope. 2. To make a nasal sound, like that of the letter m prolonged, without opening the mouth, or articulating; to mumble in monotonous undertone; to drone. The cloudy messenger turns me his back, And hums. --Shak. 3. [Cf. Hum, interj.] To make an inarticulate sound, like h'm, through the nose in the process of speaking, from embarrassment or a affectation; to hem. 4. To express satisfaction by a humming noise. Here the spectators hummed. --Trial of the Regicides. Note: Formerly the habit of audiences was to express gratification by humming and displeasure by hissing. 5. To have the sensation of a humming noise; as, my head hums, -- a pathological condition.Hum
Hum\, v. t. 1. To sing with shut mouth; to murmur without articulation; to mumble; as, to hum a tune. 2. To express satisfaction with by humming. 3. To flatter by approving; to cajole; to impose on; to humbug. [Colloq. & Low]Hum
Hum\, n. 1. A low monotonous noise, as of bees in flight, of a swiftly revolving top, of a wheel, or the like; a drone; a buzz. The shard-borne beetle with his drowsy hums. --Shak. 2. Any inarticulate and buzzing sound; as: (a) The confused noise of a crowd or of machinery, etc., heard at a distance; as, the hum of industry. But 'midst the crowd, the hum, the shock of men. --Byron. (b) A buzz or murmur, as of approbation. --Macaulay. 3. An imposition or hoax. 4. [Cf. Hem, interj.] An inarticulate nasal sound or murmur, like h'm, uttered by a speaker in pause from embarrassment, affectation, etc. THese shrugs, these hums and ha's. --Shak. 5. [Perh. so called because strongly intoxicating.] A kind of strong drink formerly used. [Obs.] --Beau. & Fl. Venous hum. See under Venous.Hum
Hum\, interj. [Cf. Hem, interj.] Ahem; hem; an inarticulate sound uttered in a pause of speech implying doubt and deliberation. --Pope.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : hum
Spanish:
tararear, canturrear,
German:
summen,
Japanese:
ハミングする
hum
c.1374, hommen "make a murmuring sound to cover embarrassment," later hummen "to buzz, drone" (c.1420), probably of imitative origin. Sense of "sing with closed lips" is first attested c.1485; that of "be busy and active" is 1884, perhaps on analogy of a beehive. Humming-bird (1637) so called from sound made by the rapid vibration of its wings.
"There is a curious bird to see to, called a humming bird, no bigger then a great Beetle." [Thomas Morton, "New English Canaan," 1637]
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Main Entry: hum
Pronunciation: 'h&m
Function: noun
: a sound like that made by humming; especially :
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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hum (hŭm)
n.
A low, continuous murmur blended of many sounds.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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hum
(from Spanish pepino, "cucumber"), also called Hum (Serbo-Croatian: "hill"), or Haystack Hill, conical hill of residual limestone in a deeply eroded karst region. Pepino hills generally form on relatively flat-lying limestones that are jointed in large rectangles. In an alternating wet and dry climate, high areas become increasingly hard and resistant while low areas are subjected to greater erosion and solution. In some places, such as the Kwangsi area of China, pepino hills may have almost vertical sides and may be riddled with caves. Pepino hills develop to greater heights in regions having subtropical or equatorial rainfall and are then generally called mogotes (Spanish: "hillocks").
Learn more about hum with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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