hum

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Contents 1 English 1.1 Pronunciation 1.2 Etymology 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Translations 1.4 Verb 1.4.1 Derived terms 1.4.2 Related terms 1.4.3 Synonyms 1.4.4 Translations 1.5 Anagrams 2 Dutch 2.1 Etymology 1 2.1.1 Noun 2.2 Etymology 2 2.2.1 Alternative forms 2.2.2 Interjection

[edit] English

[edit] Pronunciation

•  Audio (US)^{help, file}

• Rhymes: -ʌm

[edit] Etymology

From Old English hommen "make a murmuring sound to cover embarrassment," later (medieval English) hummen "to buzz, drone" (c.1420); akin to (medieval and modern) Dutch hommel 'humblebee', medieval German hummen 'to hum', probably ultimately of imitative origin

[edit] Noun

hum (plural hums)

1. A hummed tune, i.e. created orally with lips closed.
2. An often indistinct sound resembling human humming.
3. Busy activity, like a beehive's buzz

[edit] Translations

[edit] Verb

to hum (third-person singular simple present hums, present participle humming, simple past and past participle hummed)

1. (intransitive) To make a sound from the vocal chords without pronouncing any real words, with one's lips closed.

   We are humming happily along with the music.

2. (transitive) To express of affect by humming

   The hazers ominously hummed "We shall overcome" while they paddled the unruly pledges

3. (intransitive) To drone like certain insects naturally do in motion, or sounding similarly
4. (intransitive) To buzz, be busily active like a beehive
5. (intransitive) To produce a low sounds blend continuously
6. (British) To reek, smell bad.
7. (British) To deceive, or impose on one by some story or device.

[edit] Derived terms

• hummer
• hummingbird
• humming-top

[edit] Related terms

• humblebee

[edit] Synonyms

• bumble
• bustle
• hustle
• buzz
• croon
• whir

[edit] Translations

[edit] Anagrams

• MUH

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[edit] Dutch

[edit] Etymology 1

jocular abbreviation of humeur (cfr.)

[edit] Noun

hum n. (plural hummen, diminutive hummetje, diminutive plural hummetjes)

1. (good) mood

[edit] Etymology 2

onomatopoeia

[edit] Alternative forms

• h'm

[edit] Interjection

hum!

1. uttering to attract attention, without literal meaning