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Huh vs Hum - What's the difference?

huh | hum |

As interjections the difference between huh and hum

is that huh is used to express amusement or subtle surprise.hum is hmm; an inarticulate sound uttered in a pause of speech implying doubt and deliberation.

As a noun hum is

a hummed tune, i.e. created orally with lips closed.

As a verb hum is

to make a sound from the vocal chords without pronouncing any real words, with one's lips closed.

huh

English

Interjection

(en interjection)
  • (with falling pitch)
    • Huh! I'm sure I locked it when I left.
    • Huh? Where did they go?
  • (with rising pitch)
    • Where were you last night? Huh ?
  • (rft-sense) (slang, with falling pitch)
    • (belittlement)'' A:"''We should go to an amusement park, it would be fun.''" B:"''Huh. "
    (agreement)'' A""''Murder is bad.''" B:"''Huh! "
  • (informal, with rising pitch)
    • Huh ? Could you speak up?
  • (informal, with falling pitch)
    • It's getting kind of late, huh?

    hum

    English

    (wikipedia hum)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A hummed tune, i.e. created orally with lips closed.
  • An often indistinct sound resembling human humming.
    • They could hear a hum coming from the kitchen, and found the dishwasher on.
  • * Shakespeare
    • the shard-borne beetle with his drowsy hums
  • Busy activity, like the buzz of a beehive.
  • (UK, slang) unpleasant odour.
  • (dated) An imposition or hoax; humbug.
  • (obsolete) A kind of strong drink.
    • (Beaumont and Fletcher)

    Verb

    (humm)
  • To make a sound from the vocal chords without pronouncing any real words, with one's lips closed.
    • We are humming happily along with the music.
  • To express by humming.
    • to hum a tune
    ''The hazers ominously hummed "We shall overcome" while they paddled the unruly pledges
  • To drone like certain insects naturally do in motion, or sounding similarly
  • * 1922 , (Virginia Woolf), (w, Jacob's Room) Chapter 2
    • A slight gloom fell upon the table. Jacob was helping himself to jam; the postman was talking to Rebecca in the kitchen; there was a bee humming at the yellow flower which nodded at the open window.
  • To buzz, be busily active like a beehive
    • 'The streets were humming with activity.''
  • To produce low sounds which blend continuously
  • (British) To reek, smell bad.
    • This room really hums — have you ever tried spring cleaning, mate?
  • (British) To deceive, or impose on one by some story or device.
  • (transitive, dated, slang) To flatter by approving; to cajole; to impose on; to humbug.

    • Derived terms

    * hummer * hummingbird * humming-top

    Related terms

    * humblebee

    Synonyms

    * bumble * bustle * hustle * buzz * croon * whir

    Anagrams

    *

    Interjection

    (en interjection)
  • hmm; an inarticulate sound uttered in a pause of speech implying doubt and deliberation.
    • (Alexander Pope)
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