mum´bling|ly

mum|ble «MUHM buhl», verb, -bled, -bling, noun.

–v.i.

1. to speak indistinctly, as a person does when his lips are partly closed; speak in low tones; mutter: »

She appeared as if she wanted to say something, and kept making signs…and mumbling (Charlotte Brontë).

SYNONYM(S): See syn. under murmur. (Cf. ↑murmur)

2. to chew as a person does who has no teeth: »

The old dog mumbled on a crust.

–v.t.

1. to say indistinctly, as a person does when his lips are partly closed: »

to mumble one's words. He affirmed that we mumbled our speech with our lips and teeth, and ran the words together without pause or distinction (Tobias Smollett).

SYNONYM(S): See syn. under murmur. (Cf. ↑murmur)

2. to chew as a person does who has no teeth: »

The old dog mumbled the crust.

–n.

the act or fact of mumbling; indistinct speech: »

There was a mumble of protest from the team against the umpire's decision.

╂[Middle English momelen, perhaps (frequentative) < mum²]

–mum´bler, noun.

–mum´bling|ly, adverb.