Hum (sound)

Hum (sound)

A hum is a sound made by singing a wordless tone with the mouth completely closed, forcing the sound to emerge from the nose. To hum is to produce such a sound, most often with a melody. It is difficult to hum with your nose pinched closed for more than a few seconds. It keeps the volume at a low level, so humming is rarely used in musical productions, with some exceptions such as scat singing and vocables. Humming is sometimes used to keep the melody when the singer does not know the lyrics.

A hum has a particular timbre (or sound quality), usually a monotone or with slightly varying tones. There are other similar sounds not produced by human singing that are also called hums, such as a sound produced by machinery in operation or by an insect in flight. The hummingbird was named for the sound that bird makes in flight.

Slang Usage

Hummer is used as slang for a form of oral sex, where the giving partner makes a humming sound during the act, to add a source of vibration. Frank Zappa used "hum" as a pun in his song, "Dinah-Moe Humm", with the reference being both to this slang usage and the hum made by a dynamo in operation.

Hum is British slang for stink. For example, "That is humming," would mean "That smells bad."Humming can also be attributed to being bored. Often, people who hum are bored and want you to know it, so they hum. Humming can also be a sign of being in an uncomfortable situation, so out of nervousness, a person might start humming

Prior to the 18th century, humming was used in England as a form of applause. Whole crowds would hum to show their approval of a public statement, a sermon, or a piece of news.

ee also

* The Hum - an apparently widespread phenomenon involving a low-frequency hum of unknown origin, inaudible to most people
* Mains hum - an electric or electromagnetic phenomenon that causes a low frequency (50 or 60 Hz) audible signal.


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  • Hum — may refer to: * Hum (sound), a sound produced with closed lips, or by machinery, insects, or other periodic motion * The Hum, a phenomenon involving a persistent and invasive low frequency noise of unknown origin which occurs in some geographic… …   Wikipedia

  • hum — /hum/, v., hummed, humming, n., interj. v.i. 1. to make a low, continuous, droning sound. 2. to give forth an indistinct sound of mingled voices or noises. 3. to utter an indistinct sound in hesitation, embarrassment, dissatisfaction, etc.; hem.… …   Universalium

  • hum — hum1 [hum] vi. hummed, humming [ME hummen, of echoic orig., as in Ger hummel, bumblebee, MDu hommeln, hum] 1. to make a low, continuous, murmuring sound like that of a bee or a motor 2. to sing with the lips closed, not producing words 3. to give …   English World dictionary

  • Hum — (h[u^]m), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Hummed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Humming}.] [Of imitative origin; cf. G. hummen, D. hommelen. [root]15.] 1. To make a low, prolonged sound, like that of a bee in flight; to drone; to murmur; to buzz; as, a top hums. P.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Hum — Hum, n. 1. A low monotonous noise, as of bees in flight, of a swiftly revolving top, of a wheel, or the like; a drone; a buzz. [1913 Webster] The shard borne beetle with his drowsy hums. Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. Any inarticulate and buzzing sound; …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • hum — ► VERB (hummed, humming) 1) make a low, steady continuous sound like that of a bee. 2) sing with closed lips. 3) informal be in a state of great activity. 4) Brit. informal smell unpleasant. ► NOUN ▪ a low …   English terms dictionary

  • sound — [adj1] complete, healthy alive and kicking*, effectual, entire, firm, fit, flawless, hale, hearty, intact, in the pink*, perfect, right, right as rain*, robust, safe, sane, solid, stable, sturdy, substantial, thorough, total, unblemished,… …   New thesaurus

  • Hum — Hum, interj. [Cf. {Hem}, interj.] Ahem; hem; an inarticulate sound uttered in a pause of speech implying doubt and deliberation. Pope. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • hum — [v] buzz, vibrate bombilate, bombinate, bum, bumble, croon, drone, moan, mumble, murmur, purr, rustle, sing, sing low, sound, strum, throb, thrum, trill, warble, whir, whisper, zoom; concepts 65,77 …   New thesaurus

  • hum|ming|bird — «HUHM ihng BURD», noun. any one of a large group of very small, brightly colored American birds with a long, narrow bill and narrow wings that move so rapidly they make a humming sound in the air …   Useful english dictionary

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