rhu|barb|ing

rhu|barb|ing «ROO bahr bihng», adjective, noun. British.

–adj.

(of actors) muttering sounds to simulate background noise of talk or conversation.

–n.

noisy talk: »

The players filed off the stage, and the silence dissolved in the rhubarbing of the multitude of spectators (Manchester Guardian Weekly).

╂[< rhubarb, the theatrical direction and the word customarily repeated at different speeds by actors to give the impression of a general hubbub]