What is "hum"

Hum \Hum\, interj. [Cf. Hem, interj.] Ahem; hem; an inarticulate sound uttered in a pause of speech implying doubt and deliberation.
--Pope.

Hum \Hum\, v. t.

1. To sing with shut mouth; to murmur without articulation; to mumble; as, to hum a tune.

2. To express satisfaction with by humming.

3. To flatter by approving; to cajole; to impose on; to humbug. [Colloq. & Low]

Hum \Hum\ (h[u^]m), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Hummed; p. pr. & vb. n. Humming.] [Of imitative origin; cf. G. hummen, D. hommelen. [root]15.]

1. To make a low, prolonged sound, like that of a bee in flight; to drone; to murmur; to buzz; as, a top hums.
   --P. Fletcher.

   Still humming on, their drowsy course they keep.
   --Pope.

2. To make a nasal sound, like that of the letter m prolonged, without opening the mouth, or articulating; to mumble in monotonous undertone; to drone.

   The cloudy messenger turns me his back, And hums.
   --Shak.

3. [Cf. Hum, interj.] To make an inarticulate sound, like h'm, through the nose in the process of speaking, from embarrassment or a affectation; to hem.

4. To express satisfaction by a humming noise.

   Here the spectators hummed.
   --Trial of the Regicides.

   Note: Formerly the habit of audiences was to express gratification by humming and displeasure by hissing.

5. To have the sensation of a humming noise; as, my head hums, -- a pathological condition.

Hum \Hum\, n.

1. A low monotonous noise, as of bees in flight, of a swiftly revolving top, of a wheel, or the like; a drone; a buzz.

   The shard-borne beetle with his drowsy hums.
   --Shak.

2. Any inarticulate and buzzing sound; as:

   1. The confused noise of a crowd or of machinery, etc., heard at a distance; as, the hum of industry.

      But 'midst the crowd, the hum, the shock of men.
      --Byron.

   2. A buzz or murmur, as of approbation.
      --Macaulay.

3. An imposition or hoax.

4. [Cf. Hem, interj.] An inarticulate nasal sound or murmur, like h'm, uttered by a speaker in pause from embarrassment, affectation, etc.

   These shrugs, these hums and ha's.
   --Shak.

5. [Perh. so called because strongly intoxicating.] A kind of strong drink formerly used. [Obs.]
   --Beau. & Fl.

   Venous hum. See under Venous.

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]

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

interj. hmm; an inarticulate sound uttered in a pause of speech implying doubt and deliberation. n. 1 A hummed tune, i.e. created orally with lips closed. 2 An often indistinct sound resembling human humming. 3 Busy activity, like the buzz of a beehive. 4 (context UK slang English) unpleasant odour. 5 (context dated English) An imposition or hoax; humbug. 6 (context obsolete English) A kind of strong drink. vb. 1 (context intransitive English) To make a sound from the vocal chords without pronouncing any real words, with one's lips closed. 2 (context transitive English) To express by humming. 3 (context intransitive English) To drone like certain insects naturally do in motion, or sounding similarly 4 (context intransitive English) To buzz, be busily active like a beehive 5 (context intransitive English) To produce low sounds which blend continuously 6 (context British English) To reek, smell bad. 7 (context British English) To deceive, or impose on one by some story or device. 8 (context transitive dated slang English) To flatter by approving; to cajole; to impose on; to humbug.

1. n. the state of being or appearing to be actively engaged in an activity; "they manifested all the busyness of a pack of beavers"; "there is a constant hum of military preparation" [syn: busyness]

2. an Islamic fundamentalist group in Pakistan that fought the Soviet Union in Afghanistan in the 1980s; now operates as a terrorist organization primarily in Kashmir and seeks Kashmir's accession by Pakistan [syn: Harkat-ul-Mujahidin, Harkat ul-Ansar, HUA, Harkat ul-Mujahedeen, Al Faran, Movement of Holy Warriors]

3. a humming noise; "the hum of distant traffic" [syn: humming]

4. [also: humming, hummed]

1. v. sing with closed lips; "She hummed a melody"

2. be noisy with activity; "This office is buzzing with activity" [syn: buzz, seethe]

3. sound with a monotonous hum [syn: thrum]

4. make a low continuous sound; "The refrigerator is humming"

5. [also: humming, hummed]

Hum is an alternative rock band from Champaign, Illinois. They are best known for their 1995 radio hit " Stars". Hum has not been consistently active as a recording or touring group since 2000.

Humming is a sound produced with closed lips, or by insects, or other periodic motion.

Hum may also refer to:

Hum, high and the most prominent peak of the Laško region, is situated on the Savinja river's left bank. For ages, its foothills have been giving a shelter to the old castle under which thermal water has been pumped from the springs. There is a wide view from Hum on to Laško and its surroundings.

Hum is a village in the municipality of Bugojno, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Hum ( Serbian Cyrillic: Хум) is a mountain on the border of Serbia and Montenegro, between towns of Sjenica and Rožaje, on the eastern edge of Pešter plateau. Its highest peak Krstača has an elevation of 1,756 meters above sea level.

Hum is a village situated in Niš municipality in Serbia.

Hum (Hindi: हम, English: We/Us) is a 1991 Hindi action crime film directed by Mukul S. Anand. It stars Amitabh Bachchan, Rajnikanth, Govinda, Kimi Katkar, Deepa Sahi, Shilpa Shirodkar, Danny Denzongpa, Anupam Kher and Kader Khan. This was the most successful film for the famous super star, Bachchan in the early '90s before he announced his temporary retirement (for five years) immediately after its release. He also won the Filmfare Best Actor Award for it in 1992. The film ranked second among the top grossers of 1991 at the box office and was declared a blockbuster hit. Mukul S. Anand had considered and discussed a potential scene for this movie with Rajinikanth, where Amitabh Bachchan's character would help Govinda get a seat in the Police Academy. Anand discarded the scene, because he did not find it suitable. But Rajinikanth felt the scene had the potential to develop into a script for a possible feature film, which resulted into 1995 movie Baashha.