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more about hum
hum |
5 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: 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] From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: 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}. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: 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. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Hum \Hum\, interj. [Cf. {Hem}, interj.] Ahem; hem; an inarticulate sound uttered in a pause of speech implying doubt and deliberation. --Pope. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: hum n : a humming noise; "the hum of distant traffic" [syn: {humming}] v 1: sing with closed lips; "She hummed a melody" 2: be noisy with activity; "This office is buzzing with activity" [syn: {buzz}, {seethe}] 3: sound with a monotonous hum [syn: {thrum}] 4: make a low continuous sound; "The refrigerator is humming"
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