HUM

HUM
1.
v. & n.
—v. (hummed, humming)
1 intr. make a low steady continuous sound like that of a bee.
2 tr. (also absol.) sing (a wordless tune) with closed lips.
3 intr. utter a slight inarticulate sound.
4 intr. colloq. be in an active state (really made things hum).
5 intr. Brit. colloq. smell unpleasantly.
—n.
1 a humming sound.
2 an unwanted low-frequency noise caused by variation of electric current, usu. the alternating frequency of the mains, in an amplifier etc.
3 Brit. colloq. a bad smell.
Phrases and idioms:
hum and haw (or ha) hesitate, esp. in speaking.
Derivatives:
hummable adj. hummer n.
Etymology: ME, imit.
2.
int. expressing hesitation or dissent.
Etymology: imit.

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат
Synonyms:

Look at other dictionaries:

  • hum — hum …   Dictionnaire des rimes

  • hum — [ ɶm; hɶm ] interj. • 1611; onomat. ♦ Interjection qui exprime généralement le doute, la réticence. ⇒ hem. Hum ! ça m étonnerait ! Hum ! cela cache quelque chose ! « Hum ! qu est ce que je te disais ? » (Aragon). ⇒HEM, HUM, mot inv. A. [Gén.… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Hum — may refer to: * Hum (sound), a sound produced with closed lips, or by machinery, insects, or other periodic motion * The Hum, a phenomenon involving a persistent and invasive low frequency noise of unknown origin which occurs in some geographic… …   Wikipedia

  • Hum — ist ein geographischer Begriff mit mehreren Bedeutungen: eine Stadt in Kroatien, siehe Hum (Kroatien); ein Ort in Slowenien, siehe Hum (Slowenien); ein Ort in Bosnien, siehe Hum (Bosnien); eine historische Landschaft im Grenzgebiet zwischen… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • hum — hȗm m <N mn húmovi> DEFINICIJA 1. omanji brijeg pod travom 2. (Hum) pov. (u nekim izvorima) Hercegovina ONOMASTIKA pr. (etnici): Hȗm (100, Osijek, Koprivnica), Hùmačkić, Hùmek (120, Varaždin), Huméljak (Humeljȃk) (Velika Gorica), Húmić (60 …   Hrvatski jezični portal

  • hum — s. n. Trimis de siveco, 10.08.2004. Sursa: Dicţionar ortografic  HUM s.n. (geol.) Martor carstic sub formă de bloc izolat, rămas din masa calcarului. [cf. germ. Hum, fr., engl. hum]. Trimis de LauraGellner …   Dicționar Român

  • 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. [1913 Webster] The shard borne beetle with his drowsy hums. Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. Any inarticulate and buzzing sound; …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Hum — Hȗm m DEFINICIJA naselje u Istri, smatra se najmanjim gradom na svijetu, 23 stan.; povezuje ga s Ročem 7 km dugačka »Aleja glagoljaša« ONOMASTIKA top. (često dio imena naselja, npr. Hum na Sutli, Hum Stubički, Hum Bistrički, Hum Breznički i dr.) …   Hrvatski jezični portal

  • hum — /hum/, v., hummed, humming, n., interj. v.i. 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.… …   Universalium

  • hum — hum1 [hum] vi. hummed, humming [ME hummen, of echoic orig., as in Ger hummel, bumblebee, MDu hommeln, hum] 1. to make a low, continuous, murmuring sound like that of a bee or a motor 2. to sing with the lips closed, not producing words 3. to give …   English World dictionary

  • Hum — (h[u^]m), 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.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”