HUM


Meaning of HUM in English

~ 1

■ verb ( ~s , ~ming , ~med )

1》 make a low, steady continuous sound like that of a bee.

↘sing with closed lips.

2》 informal be in a state of great activity.

3》 Brit. informal smell unpleasant.

■ noun a low, steady continuous sound.

↘an unwanted low-frequency noise in an amplifier.

Phrases

~ and haw (or chiefly N. Amer. hem and haw ) Brit. be indecisive.

Derivatives

~mable adjective

~mer noun

Origin

ME: imitative.

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~ 2

(also hmm )

■ exclamation used to express hesitation or dissent.

Origin

C16: imitative; related to ~ 1 .

Concise Oxford English vocab.      Сжатый оксфордский словарь английского языка.