hum

[ huhm ]

verb (used without object)

, hummed, hum·ming.

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.

   Synonyms: buzz, bustle

6. British Slang. to have a bad odor, as of stale perspiration.

verb (used with object)

, hummed, hum·ming.

1. to sound, sing, or utter by humming:

   to hum a tune.

2. to bring, put, etc., by humming:

   to hum a child to sleep.

noun

1. the act or sound of humming; an inarticulate or indistinct murmur; hem.
2. Audio. an unwanted low-frequency sound caused by power-line frequencies in any audio component.

interjection

1. (an inarticulate sound uttered in contemplation, hesitation, dissatisfaction, doubt, etc.)

hum

/ hʌm /

verb

1. intr to make a low continuous vibrating sound like that of a prolonged m
2. intr (of a person) to sing with the lips closed
3. intr to utter an indistinct sound, as in hesitation; hem
4. informal.
   intr to be in a state of feverish activity
5. slang.
   intr to smell unpleasant
6. slang.
   intr to scrounge
7. See hem
   hum and haw
   hum and haw See hem 2

noun

1. a low continuous murmuring sound
2. electronics an undesired low-frequency noise in the output of an amplifier or receiver, esp one caused by the power supply
3. slang.
   a scrounger; cadger
4. slang.
   an unpleasant odour

interjection

1. an indistinct sound of hesitation, embarrassment, etc; hem

Derived Forms

• ˈhummer, noun

Other Words From

• under·hum noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of hum¹

1300–50; Middle English; ultimately imitative; cognate with German hummen to hum; humblebee

Word History and Origins

Origin of hum¹

C14: of imitative origin; compare Dutch hommelen, Old High German humbal bumblebee

Example Sentences

What once seemed so rare and arcane has now become a sad hum in the background — the contrails of an administration that the country may take a generation to shake.

From Washington Post

Over the past four years, there has been a constant, low-level hum of rumors about the status of Apple’s automotive ambitions, with a major partnership announcement always supposedly just months or weeks away.

From Fortune

Think about the general din of being inside an airplane or hum of an air conditioning unit, with active noise cancellation all that disappears.

From Popular-Science

Those in charge of maintenance should have their tasks made easier by Health and Usage Monitoring Systems, or HUMS.

From Popular-Science

The hum is generated by the rapid jitters of particles that make up the hot object.

From Science News

There was Carol White, a ho-hum homemaker who finds herself besieged by multiple chemical sensitivity in Safe.

From The Daily Beast

Lily Allen explained away the poor sales and ho-hum critical reception to Sheezus by…basically blaming other people.

From The Daily Beast

His New York accent slices through the incessant hum of voices.

From The Daily Beast

There was no shelling this time, but there was the hum of watchful drones.

From The Daily Beast

The summer of music may have started with a ho-hum and largely stayed there.

From The Daily Beast

The hum of earnest or glad voices here contrasted strongly with silence and meditation there.

From Project Gutenberg

The girl began to hum, as she powdered her nose with a white glove, lying in a powder box.

From Project Gutenberg

She fell to her task again, only now she began to hum softly, thus shutting me off entirely.

From Project Gutenberg

In a moment Skipper Worse was wide awake, and began to hum, as she moved her fingers along the lines.

From Project Gutenberg

Matt listened to the steady hum of the Comet's twin cylinders with an exultation he could not conceal.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• croon
• moan
• mumble
• murmur
• purr
• sing
• strum
• throb
• trill
• warble
• whisper