hum
to make a low, continuous, droning sound.
to give forth an indistinct sound of mingled voices or noises.
to utter an indistinct sound in hesitation, embarrassment, dissatisfaction, etc.; hem.
to sing with closed lips, without articulating words.
to be in a state of busy activity: The household hummed in preparation for the wedding.
British Slang. to have a bad odor, as of stale perspiration.
to sound, sing, or utter by humming: to hum a tune.
to bring, put, etc., by humming: to hum a child to sleep.
the act or sound of humming; an inarticulate or indistinct murmur; hem.
Audio. an unwanted low-frequency sound caused by power-line frequencies in any audio component.
(an inarticulate sound uttered in contemplation, hesitation, dissatisfaction, doubt, etc.)
Origin of hum
1Other words for hum
Other words from hum
- un·der·hum, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use hum in a sentence
The city hummed with excitement, waiting to see how the president would exercise his extraordinary power.
She had hummed me out at last, and I had tucked Tim's letter in my pocket and hobbled back to the village.
The Soldier of the Valley | Nelson LloydShe vacantly hummed a fantastic tune as she poked at the wood embers on the hearth and munched a cracker.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories | Kate ChopinIn the dense undergrowth hummed and rustled a hidden life of greater mystery.
The Red Year | Louis TracyAn industrious housewife, she hummed the hymns of contentment and peace from morning till evening.
Madame Roland, Makers of History | John S. C. Abbott
The blood hummed through Garnache's head as he tightened his lips and watched this gentleman indulge his inexplicable mirth.
St. Martin's Summer | Rafael Sabatini
British Dictionary definitions for hum
/ (hʌm) /
(intr) to make a low continuous vibrating sound like that of a prolonged m
(intr) (of a person) to sing with the lips closed
(intr) to utter an indistinct sound, as in hesitation; hem
(intr) informal to be in a state of feverish activity
(intr) British and Irish slang to smell unpleasant
(intr) Australian slang to scrounge
hum and haw See hem 2 (def. 3)
a low continuous murmuring sound
electronics an undesired low-frequency noise in the output of an amplifier or receiver, esp one caused by the power supply
Australian slang a scrounger; cadger
British and Irish slang an unpleasant odour
an indistinct sound of hesitation, embarrassment, etc; hem
Origin of hum
1Derived forms of hum
- hummer, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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