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Mumble vs Hum - What's the difference?

mumble | hum |

As verbs the difference between mumble and hum

is that mumble is to speak unintelligibly or inaudibly; to fail to articulate while hum is to make a sound from the vocal chords without pronouncing any real words, with one's lips closed.

As nouns the difference between mumble and hum

is that mumble is a quiet or unintelligible vocalization while hum is a hummed tune, i.e. created orally with lips closed.

As an interjection hum is

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

mumble

English

Verb

  • (intransitive) To speak unintelligibly or inaudibly; to fail to articulate.
  • Please try not to mumble so I can hear you better.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Peace, you mumbling fool.
  • * Otway
  • A wrinkled hag, with age grown double, / Picking dry sticks, and mumbling to herself.
  • To chew something gently with closed lips.
  • Synonyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * mumblage * mumblecore * mumblenews * mumbler * mumblety peg

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A quiet or unintelligible vocalization.
  • All I could hear was a mumble from the next room.
  • A low tone of voice.
  • ''He spoke in a mumble .

    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

    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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