Noun

(en noun)

(label) Moist vapour, moisture.

Any of the fluids in an animal body, especially the four "cardinal humours" of blood, yellow bile, black bile and phlegm that were believed to control the health and mood of the human body.

*, Book I, New York 2001, p. 147:

A humour is a liquid or fluent part of the body, comprehended in it, for the preservation of it; and is either innate or born with us, or adventitious and acquisite.

* 1763 , (Antoine-Simon Le Page Du Pratz), History of Louisisana (PG), (tr. 1774) p. 42:

For some days a fistula lacrymalis had come into my left eye, which discharged an humour , when pressed, that portended danger.

(label) Either of the two regions of liquid within the eyeball, the aqueous humour and vitreous humour.

(label) A mood, especially a bad mood; a temporary state of mind or disposition brought upon by an event; an abrupt illogical inclination or whim.

* (Francis Bacon) (1561-1626)

a prince of a pleasant humour

* (William Shakespeare) (1564-1616)

I like not the humour of lying.

* (1633?-1684)

Examine how your humour is inclined, / And which the ruling passion of your mind.

* (Robert South) (1634–1716)

Is my friend all perfection, all virtue and discretion? Has he not humours to be endured?

*{{quote-book, year=1899, author=(Stephen Crane)

, title=, chapter=1 , passage=[…] (it was the town's humour to be always gassing of phantom investors who were likely to come any moment and pay a thousand prices for everything) — “[…] Them rich fellers, they don't make no bad breaks with their money. […]”}}

(label) The quality of being amusing, comical, funny.

* (Oliver Goldsmith) (1730-1774)

For thy sake I admit / That a Scot may have humour , I'd almost said wit.

* (Washington Irving) (1783-1859)

A great deal of excellent humour was expended on the perplexities of mine host.

*

They stayed together during three dances, went out on to the terrace, explored wherever they were permitted to explore, paid two visits to the buffet, and enjoyed themselves much in the same way as if they had been school-children surreptitiously breaking loose from an assembly of grown-ups. The boy became volubly friendly and bubbling over with unexpected humour and high spirits.

*{{quote-book, year=1959, author=(Georgette Heyer), title=(The Unknown Ajax), chapter=1

, passage=Charles had not been employed above six months at Darracott Place, but he was not such a whopstraw as to make the least noise in the performance of his duties when his lordship was out of humour .}}

Noun

(uncountable) The process of childbearing; the beginning of life.

(countable) An instance of childbirth.

Intersex babies account for roughly one per cent of all births .

(countable) A beginning or start; a point of origin.

the birth of an empire

(uncountable) The circumstances of one's background, ancestry, or upbringing.

He was of noble birth , but fortune had not favored him.

* Prescott

elected without reference to birth , but solely for qualifications

That which is born.

* Ben Jonson

Poets are far rarer births than kings.

* Addison

Others hatch their eggs and tend the birth till it is able to shift for itself.