hum
Pronunciation: (hum), [key]
— v., n., interj. hummed, hum•ming,
—v.i.
- to make a low, continuous, droning sound.
- to give forth an indistinct sound of mingled voices or noises.
- to utter an indistinct sound in hesitation, embarrassment, dissatisfaction, etc.; hem.
- to sing with closed lips, without articulating words.
- to be in a state of busy activity: The household hummed in preparation for the wedding.
- to have a bad odor, as of stale perspiration.
—v.t.
- to sound, sing, or utter by humming: to hum a tune.
- to bring, put, etc., by humming: to hum a child to sleep.
—n.
- the act or sound of humming; an inarticulate or indistinct murmur; hem.
- an unwanted low-frequency sound caused by power-line frequencies in any audio component.
—interj.
- (an inarticulate sound uttered in contemplation, hesitation, dissatisfaction, doubt, etc.)
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.