humming

American  

[huhm-ing] / ˈhʌm ɪŋ /

adjective

1. making a droning sound; buzzing.

2. very busy; briskly active.

   a humming office.

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Other Word Forms

• hummingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of humming

First recorded in 1570–80; hum + -ing ²

Example Sentences

Aside from occasional humming, it’s hard to tell he’s working.

From The Wall Street Journal

At Goldman Sachs’s financial-services conference on Monday, bankers voiced confidence the deal machine will keep humming along—even, they said, the big ones that require a lot of financing.

From The Wall Street Journal

For that, UCI Health is employing rows of humming heat pumps installed on the rooftop.

From Los Angeles Times

In her monologue, McCarthy kicked off Christmas season on “SNL” by showing off her talent for “mouth horn,” a kind of humming/blowing/beatboxing of songs like “Carol of the Bells.”

From Los Angeles Times

Still, businesses that sell the goods and services that keep regular life humming—like hair cuts—are feeling the effects of consumers reining in spending elsewhere.

From The Wall Street Journal