Hum vs Purr - What's the difference?
hum | purr | Synonyms |
A hummed tune, i.e. created orally with lips closed.
An often indistinct sound resembling human humming.
* Shakespeare
Busy activity, like the buzz of a beehive.
(UK, slang) unpleasant odour.
(dated) An imposition or hoax; humbug.
(obsolete) A kind of strong drink.
To make a sound from the vocal chords without pronouncing any real words, with one's lips closed.
To express by humming.
To drone like certain insects naturally do in motion, or sounding similarly
* 1922 , (Virginia Woolf), (w, Jacob's Room) Chapter 2
To buzz, be busily active like a beehive
To produce low sounds which blend continuously
(British) To reek, smell bad.
(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.
hmm; an inarticulate sound uttered in a pause of speech implying doubt and deliberation.
Of a cat, to make a vibrating sound in its throat when contented.
To say (something) in a throaty, seductive manner.
* 2008 , C. E. Osborne, Black Gold Death in the Sun (page 12)
To make a vibrating throaty sound, as from pleasure.
(of an engine) To make a low and consistent rumbling sound.
* 2001 , E. C. Craver, Last Reunion (page 159)
The vibrating sound made by a cat in its throat when contented.
* 1918 , Sarath Kumar Ghosh, The wonders of the jungle - Volume 2 (page 113)
A throaty, seductive sound of pleasure made by a person.
* 2006 , Brenda Williamson, Wolverton Blood (page 53)
The low consistent rumble made by an engine at slow speed
* 1997 , Susan Wood, A Fly in Amber (page 191)
Purr is a synonym of hum.
In intransitive terms the difference between hum and purr
is that hum is to produce low sounds which blend continuously while purr is to make a vibrating throaty sound, as from pleasure.In transitive terms the difference between hum and purr
is that hum is to express by humming while purr is to say (something) in a throaty, seductive manner.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)- They could hear a hum coming from the kitchen, and found the dishwasher on.
- the shard-borne beetle with his drowsy hums
- (Beaumont and Fletcher)
Verb
(humm)- We are humming happily along with the music.
- to hum a tune
- ''The hazers ominously hummed "We shall overcome" while they paddled the unruly pledges
- 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.
- 'The streets were humming with activity.''
- This room really hums — have you ever tried spring cleaning, mate?
Derived terms
* hummer * hummingbird * humming-topSynonyms
* bumble * bustle * hustle * buzz * croon * whirAnagrams
*Interjection
(en interjection)- (Alexander Pope)
purr
English
Verb
(en verb)- "This is Cindy," she purred again, flashing a smile of perfect white teeth surrounded by full red lips.
- Beverly passed the city limits sign with the Porsche's motor purring contentedly after its two hundred and fifty-mile romp.
Derived terms
* purrer * purr like a kittenNoun
(en noun)- Instead, the tiger looked around, and gave a purr , and then a growl. What did that mean? The man could not tell. Then the tiger just flung upon the man some of the sand from the side of the hollow.
- The trill of her purr echoed inside his mouth when he kissed her again. Clutching at his shirt, her fingers traveled the muscles in his back.
- I sat still in the car and listened to the soft purr of the engine and my beating heart. Then slowly, and as silently as possible, I drove the car back to camp.