5  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Hum  \Hum\,  v.  t. 
  1.  To  sing  with  shut  mouth;  to  murmur  without  articulation; 
  to  mumble;  as  to  hum  a  tune. 
 
  2.  To  express  satisfaction  with  by  humming. 
 
  3.  To  flatter  by  approving;  to  cajole;  to  impose  on  to 
  humbug.  [Colloq.  &  Low] 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Hum  \Hum\,  n. 
  1.  A  low  monotonous  noise,  as  of  bees  in  flight,  of  a  swiftly 
  revolving  top  of  a  wheel,  or  the  like  a  drone;  a  buzz. 
 
  The  shard-borne  beetle  with  his  drowsy  hums.  --Shak. 
 
  2.  Any  inarticulate  and  buzzing  sound;  as: 
  a  The  confused  noise  of  a  crowd  or  of  machinery,  etc., 
  heard  at  a  distance;  as  the  hum  of  industry. 
 
  But  'midst  the  crowd,  the  hum,  the  shock  of  men. 
  --Byron. 
  b  A  buzz  or  murmur,  as  of  approbation.  --Macaulay. 
 
  3.  An  imposition  or  hoax. 
 
  4.  [Cf.  {Hem},  interj.]  An  inarticulate  nasal  sound  or 
  murmur,  like  h'm,  uttered  by  a  speaker  in  pause  from 
  embarrassment,  affectation,  etc 
 
  THese  shrugs,  these  hums  and  ha's.  --Shak. 
 
  5.  [Perh.  so  called  because  strongly  intoxicating.]  A  kind  of 
  strong  drink  formerly  used  [Obs.]  --Beau.  &  Fl 
 
  {Venous  hum}.  See  under  {Venous}. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Hum  \Hum\,  v.  i.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Hummed};  p.  pr  &  vb  n. 
  {Humming}.]  [Of  imitative  origin;  cf  G.  hummen,  D.  hommelen 
  [root]15.] 
  1.  To  make  a  low  prolonged  sound,  like  that  of  a  bee  in 
  flight;  to  drone;  to  murmur;  to  buzz;  as  a  top  hums.  --P. 
  Fletcher. 
 
  Still  humming  on  their  drowsy  course  they  keep 
  --Pope. 
 
  2.  To  make  a  nasal  sound,  like  that  of  the  letter  m 
  prolonged,  without  opening  the  mouth,  or  articulating;  to 
  mumble  in  monotonous  undertone;  to  drone. 
 
  The  cloudy  messenger  turns  me  his  back  And  hums. 
  --Shak. 
 
  3.  [Cf.  {Hum},  interj.]  To  make  an  inarticulate  sound,  like 
  h'm,  through  the  nose  in  the  process  of  speaking,  from 
  embarrassment  or  a  affectation;  to  hem. 
 
  4.  To  express  satisfaction  by  a  humming  noise. 
 
  Here  the  spectators  hummed.  --Trial  of  the 
  Regicides. 
 
  Note:  Formerly  the  habit  of  audiences  was  to  express 
  gratification  by  humming  and  displeasure  by  hissing. 
 
  5.  To  have  the  sensation  of  a  humming  noise;  as  my  head 
  hums,  --  a  pathological  condition. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Hum  \Hum\,  interj.  [Cf.  {Hem},  interj.] 
  Ahem;  hem;  an  inarticulate  sound  uttered  in  a  pause  of  speech 
  implying  doubt  and  deliberation.  --Pope. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  hum 
  n  :  a  humming  noise;  "the  hum  of  distant  traffic"  [syn:  {humming}] 
  v  1:  sing  with  closed  lips;  "She  hummed  a  melody" 
  2:  be  noisy  with  activity;  "This  office  is  buzzing  with 
  activity"  [syn:  {buzz},  {seethe}] 
  3:  sound  with  a  monotonous  hum  [syn:  {thrum}] 
  4:  make  a  low  continuous  sound;  "The  refrigerator  is  humming" 

browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z