I. ˈhəm verb
( hummed ; hummed ; humming ; hums )
Etymology: Middle English hummen; akin to Middle High German hummen to hum, Dutch hommelen to hum, hommel bumblebee, Old High German humbal
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to utter a sound like or suggestive of that of the speech sound m prolonged : continue voicing a nasal on one pitch or on varying pitches
hum in time to the music
especially : to utter such a sound to express dissent, approval, surprise, or embarrassment
hummed and hawed and finally blurted out his views
b. : to make the natural noise of an insect (as a bumblebee) in motion
a bee hummed by — Zane Grey
mosquitoes humming — R.A.W.Hughes
c. : to make a low prolonged sound like that of an insect : drone , buzz
the top hums
the snoring of his grandfather hummed like the coming of wasps — Elizabeth Enright
a kettle was humming on a small gas stove — Ellen Glasgow
electric power lines hum — Lamp
d. : to give forth a low murmuring indistinct sound from the blending of many voices
the sound of children's voices with which the house was always humming — J.M.Brinnin
e. : to produce a continuous blend of nonvocal sounds
all night the printing plants hummed — Bill Davidson
shrapnel and bullets hummed through the brush — Dave Richardson
once, this place had hummed with noise: the ring of hammer upon anvil, the rasping of the saws that hewed the oak logs — Elizabeth Goudge
f. : to have an internal humming
my head hums
2. : to be very active as if noisily
steel and other industries are humming along at much higher rates of operation — R.M.Blough
the business started to hum — Isabelle M. Hoover
to make the free world hum with full productive activity — Max Ascoli
transitive verb
1. : to sing with the lips closed and without articulation
hum a tune
2. : to affect by humming
hummed me to sleep
hum herself to rest
: express by humming
hummed his displeasure
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from hummen, v.
: the act of humming or the sound made by humming
a hum of approbation
as
a. : a low monotonous noise (as of bees in flight or a whirling wheel) : drone , buzz
b. : the confused noise (as of a crowd or machinery) heard at a distance
the hum of industry
the high-pitched hum of swift power belts — American Guide Series: Arkansas
c. : the humming of a melody ; also : melody
d. : an undesired audio signal in the output of a piece of electronic equipment usually of low frequency resulting from direct pickup of a power signal or the residual power signal in a power supply
III. “; interjectionally often a prolonged m sometimes preceded by h noun
( -s )
Etymology: imitative
: an inarticulate nasal sound or murmur (as from embarrassment or hesitation)
after some evasive hums he gave his answer
— often used interjectionally to express hesitation or doubt, dissent, deliberation, or embarrassment; compare hem IV
IV. ˈhəm noun
( -s )
Etymology: short for humbug (I)
: humbug
V. transitive verb
( hummed ; hummed ; humming ; hums )
Etymology: short for humbug (II)
: humbug
VI. ˈhüm noun
( -s )
Etymology: Serbo-Croatian, hill
: an isolated residual hill or mass of limestone (as in a region of karst topography)
VII. abbreviation
1.
[New Latin humaniora ]
the humanities
2. humor; humorous