murmur

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Translations 1.4 Verb 1.4.1 Derived terms 1.4.2 Synonyms 1.4.3 Translations 1.5 External links 1.6 References

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

From Middle English murmur, murmor, murmour, from Old French murmure (modern French murmur), from Latin murmur (“‘murmur, humming, mutering, roaring, growling, rushing etc.’”). Reduplication points to imitative, onomatopoeic origin; cf. Sanskrit मर्मर (marmara), “‘rustling sound, murmur’”), Ancient Greek μορμύρω (mormúrō), “‘to roar, boil’”) and Lithuanian mùrmėti (“‘to mutter, murmur, babble’”).

[edit] Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈmɜː(ɹ)ˌmə(ɹ)/, SAMPA: /"m3:(r)%m@(r)/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}
• Rhymes: -ɜː(r)mə(r)

[edit] Noun

murmur (plural murmurs)

1. (countable) Low or indistinct sounds or speech.

   A murmur arose from the audience.

2. (medicine) The sound made by any condition which produces noisy, or turbulent, flow of blood through the heart.
3. A muttered complaint or protest; the expression of dissatisfaction in a low muttering voice; any expression of complaint or discontent
   • 1919, Boris Sidis, The Source and Aim of Human Progress:

     In fear of disease and in the interest of his health man will be muzzled and masked like a vicious dog, and that without any murmur of complaint.

[edit] Translations

[edit] Verb

to murmur (third-person singular simple present murmurs, present participle murmuring, simple past and past participle murmured)

1. (intransitive) to speak or make low, indistinguishable noise; to mumble

   I couldn't hear the words; he just murmured a lot.

2. (intransitive) to utter words indistinctily; to mutter
3. (intransitive) to grumble, complain, utter complaints in a low, muttering voice, or express complaint or discontent in general (+ at or against)

   The Jews then murmured at him (John VI. 41)

4. (transitive) to utter indistinctly, mutter

   I...heard thee murmur tales of iron wars. (Shakespeare, 1 Hen. IV., II. 3.51)

[edit] Derived terms

[edit] Synonyms

• See aslo Wikisaurus:mutter

[edit] Translations

[edit] External links

• heart murmur on Wikipedia.Wikipedia:heart murmur

[edit] References

• murmur in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• “murmur” in OED Online, Oxford University Press, 1989.