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Hum vs Humming - What's the difference?

hum | humming |

As nouns the difference between hum and humming

is that hum is a hummed tune, i.e. created orally with lips closed while humming is the sound of something that hums; a hum.

As verbs the difference between hum and humming

is that hum is to make a sound from the vocal chords without pronouncing any real words, with one's lips closed while humming is present participle of lang=en.

As an interjection hum

is hmm; an inarticulate sound uttered in a pause of speech implying doubt and deliberation.

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)
    ----

    humming

    English

    Verb

    (head)

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • The sound of something that hums; a hum.
  • * 1969 , New York Magazine (volume 2, number 49, 8 December 1969, page 70)
    • There are some contemporary additions to these scattered fragments from Shakespeare. Mostly they are songs; sometimes they are various screechings and hummings