Murmur vs Sigh - What's the difference?
murmur | sigh |
(countable) Low or indistinct sounds or speech.
* 1874 , (Marcus Clarke), (For the Term of His Natural Life) , chapter V:
* 1960 , , (Jeeves in the Offing) , chapter XI:
(medicine) The sound made by any condition which produces noisy, or turbulent, flow of blood through the heart.
A muttered complaint or protest; the expression of dissatisfaction in a low muttering voice; any expression of complaint or discontent
* 1919 , :
* 1960 , , (Jeeves in the Offing) , chapter XX:
* 1526 , (William Tyndale), trans. Bible , (w) VI:
(label) To speak or make low, indistinguishable noise; to mumble, mutter.
*{{quote-book, year=1922, author=(Ben Travers)
, chapter=7, title= (label) To say (something) indistinctly, to mutter.
* (William Shakespeare), 1 , II. 3.51
A deep and prolonged audible inspiration or respiration of air, as when fatigued, frustrated, grieved, or relieved; the act of sighing.
Figuratively, a manifestation of grief; a lament.
(Cockney rhyming slang) A person who is bored.
To inhale a larger quantity of air than usual, and immediately expel it; to make a deep single audible respiration, especially as the result or involuntary expression of fatigue, exhaustion, grief, sorrow, frustration, or the like.
* {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
, chapter=5
‘Civilized,’ he said to Mr. Campion. ‘Humanizing.’ […] ‘Cigars and summer days and women in big hats with swansdown face-powder, that's what it reminds me of.’}} To lament; to grieve.
* Bible, Mark viii. 12
To utter sighs over; to lament or mourn over.
To experience an emotion associated with sighing.
To make a sound like sighing.
* Coleridge
* Tennyson
To exhale (the breath) in sighs.
* Shakespeare
To express by sighs; to utter in or with sighs.
* Shakespeare
* Hoole
(archaic) To utter sighs over; to lament or mourn over.
* Prior
An expression of fatigue, exhaustion, grief, sorrow, frustration, or the like, often used in casual written contexts.
In intransitive terms the difference between murmur and sigh
is that murmur is to speak or make low, indistinguishable noise; to mumble, mutter while sigh is to make a sound like sighing.In transitive terms the difference between murmur and sigh
is that murmur is to say (something) indistinctly, to mutter while sigh is to express by sighs; to utter in or with sighs.As nouns the difference between murmur and sigh
is that murmur is low or indistinct sounds or speech while sigh is a deep and prolonged audible inspiration or respiration of air, as when fatigued, frustrated, grieved, or relieved; the act of sighing.As verbs the difference between murmur and sigh
is that murmur is to grumble; to complain in a low, muttering voice, or express discontent {{term|at}} or {{term|against}} someone or something while sigh is to inhale a larger quantity of air than usual, and immediately expel it; to make a deep single audible respiration, especially as the result or involuntary expression of fatigue, exhaustion, grief, sorrow, frustration, or the like.As an interjection sigh is
an expression of fatigue, exhaustion, grief, sorrow, frustration, or the like, often used in casual written contexts.murmur
English
Noun
(en noun)- In the prison of the 'tween decks reigned a darkness pregnant with murmurs . The sentry at the entrance to the hatchway was supposed to "prevent the prisoners from making a noise," but he put a very liberal interpretation upon the clause, and so long as the prisoners refrained from shouting, yelling, and fighting--eccentricities in which they sometimes indulged--he did not disturb them.
- A murmur arose from the audience.
- The moment had come for the honeyed word. I lowered my voice to a confidential murmur , but on her inquiring if I had laryngitis raised it again.
- In fear of disease and in the interest of his health man will be muzzled and masked like a vicious dog, and that without any murmur of complaint.
- Glossop will return from his afternoon off to find the awful majesty of the Law waiting for him, complete with handcuffs. We can hardly expect him to accept an exemplary sentence without a murmur , so his first move will be to establish his innocence by revealing all.
Verb
(en verb)- The iewes murmured att itt, because he sayde: I am thatt breed which is come doune from heven.
A Cuckoo in the Nest, passage=“Oh yes,” he murmured in a tone of obligatory surprise, as he proceeded to make the kind of 2 which he attributed to Margaret's style of chirography.}}
- Iheard thee murmur tales of iron wars.
Derived terms
* murmuration * murmurer * murmuring * murmurless * murmurousSynonyms
* See asloExternal links
* (heart murmur)sigh
English
Noun
(en noun)Verb
(en verb)citation, passage=A waiter brought his aperitif, which was a small scotch and soda, and as he sipped it gratefully he sighed .
‘Civilized,’ he said to Mr. Campion. ‘Humanizing.’ […] ‘Cigars and summer days and women in big hats with swansdown face-powder, that's what it reminds me of.’}}
- He sighed deeply in his spirit.
- And the coming wind did roar more loud, / And the sails did sigh like sedge.
- The winter winds are wearily sighing .
- Never man sighed truer breath.
- They sighed forth proverbs.
- The gentle swain sighs back her grief.
- Ages to come, and men unborn, / Shall bless her name, and sigh her fate.
Interjection
(en interjection)- Sigh , I'm so bored at work today.