Humming

[huhm-ing] /ˈhʌm ɪŋ/

adjective
1.
making a droning sound; buzzing.
2.
very busy; briskly active:
a humming office.
[huhm] /hʌm/
verb (used without object), hummed, humming.
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.
4.
to sing with closed lips, without articulating words.
5.
to be in a state of busy activity:
The household hummed in preparation for the wedding.
6.
British Slang. to have a bad odor, as of stale perspiration.
verb (used with object), hummed, humming.
7.
to sound, sing, or utter by humming:
to hum a tune.
8.
to bring, put, etc., by humming:
to hum a child to sleep.
noun
9.
the act or sound of humming; an inarticulate or indistinct murmur; hem.
10.
Audio. an unwanted low-frequency sound caused by power-line frequencies in any audio component.
interjection
11.
(an inarticulate sound uttered in contemplation, hesitation, dissatisfaction, doubt, etc.)
/hʌm/
verb hums, humming, hummed
1.
(intransitive) to make a low continuous vibrating sound like that of a prolonged m
2.
(intransitive) (of a person) to sing with the lips closed
3.
(intransitive) to utter an indistinct sound, as in hesitation; hem
4.
(intransitive) (informal) to be in a state of feverish activity
5.
(intransitive) (Brit & Irish, slang) to smell unpleasant
6.
(intransitive) (Austral, slang) to scrounge
7.
hum and haw, See hem2 (sense 3)
noun
8.
a low continuous murmuring sound
9.
(electronics) an undesired low-frequency noise in the output of an amplifier or receiver, esp one caused by the power supply
10.
(Austral, slang) a scrounger; cadger
11.
(Brit & Irish, slang) an unpleasant odour
interjection, noun
12.
an indistinct sound of hesitation, embarrassment, etc; hem
v.

late 14c., hommen “make a murmuring sound to cover embarrassment,” later hummen “to buzz, drone” (early 15c.), probably of imitative origin. Sense of “sing with closed lips” is first attested late 15c.; that of “be busy and active” is 1884, perhaps on analogy of a beehive. Related: Hummed; humming. Humming-bird (1630s) so called from sound made by the rapid vibration of its wings.

There is a curious bird to see to, called a humming bird, no bigger then a great Beetle. [Thomas Morton, “New English Canaan,” 1637]

n.

mid-15c., from hum (v.).

hum (hŭm)
n.
A low, continuous murmur blended of many sounds.