HUM (hummed, humming)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected forms: hummed    , humming   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does HUM mean? 

• HUM (noun)
  The noun HUM has 3 senses:

1. the state of being or appearing to be actively engaged in an activity

2. an Islamic fundamentalist group in Pakistan that fought the Soviet Union in Afghanistan in the 1980s; now operates as a terrorist organization primarily in Kashmir and seeks Kashmir's accession by Pakistan

3. a humming noise

  Familiarity information: HUM used as a noun is uncommon.

• HUM (verb)
  The verb HUM has 4 senses:

1. sing with closed lips

2. be noisy with activity

3. sound with a monotonous hum

4. make a low continuous sound

  Familiarity information: HUM used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• HUM (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The state of being or appearing to be actively engaged in an activity

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

busyness; hum

Context example:

there is a constant hum of military preparation

Hypernyms ("hum" is a kind of...):

action; activeness; activity (the state of being active)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An Islamic fundamentalist group in Pakistan that fought the Soviet Union in Afghanistan in the 1980s; now operates as a terrorist organization primarily in Kashmir and seeks Kashmir's accession by Pakistan

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Synonyms:

Al Faran; Harkat-ul-Mujahidin; Harkat ul-Ansar; Harkat ul-Mujahedeen; HUA; HUM; Movement of Holy Warriors

Instance hypernyms:

foreign terrorist organization; FTO; terrorist group; terrorist organization (a political movement that uses terror as a weapon to achieve its goals)

Domain category:

act of terrorism; terrorism; terrorist act (the calculated use of violence (or the threat of violence) against civilians in order to attain goals that are political or religious or ideological in nature; this is done through intimidation or coercion or instilling fear)

Domain region:

Islamic Republic of Pakistan; Pakistan; West Pakistan (a Muslim republic that occupies the heartland of ancient south Asian civilization in the Indus River valley; formerly part of India; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1947)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A humming noise

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

hum; humming

Context example:

the hum of distant traffic

Hypernyms ("hum" is a kind of...):

noise (sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound))

Derivation:

hum (make a low continuous sound)

hum (sound with a monotonous hum)

hum (be noisy with activity)

• HUM (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they hum    ... he / she / it hums   
Past simple: hummed   
Past participle: hummed   
-ing form: humming   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Sing with closed lips

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

She hummed a melody

Hypernyms (to "hum" is one way to...):

sing (produce tones with the voice)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

Sentence examples:

Sam and Sue hum
They will hum the duet

Derivation:

hummer (a singer who produces a tune without opening the lips or forming words)

humming (the act of singing with closed lips)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Be noisy with activity

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

buzz; hum; seethe

Context example:

This office is buzzing with activity

Hypernyms (to "hum" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "hum"):

pullulate; swarm; teem (be teeming, be abuzz)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sentence examples:

Cars hum in the streets
The streets hum with cars

Derivation:

hum; humming (a humming noise)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Sound with a monotonous hum

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

hum; thrum

Hypernyms (to "hum" is one way to...):

go; sound (make a certain noise or sound)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

hum (a humming noise)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Make a low continuous sound

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

The refrigerator is humming

Hypernyms (to "hum" is one way to...):

make noise; noise; resound (emit a noise)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

hum; humming (a humming noise)

 Context examples 

“You are very obliging, my dear Copperfield,” said Mr. Micawber; and hummed a tune.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Hum, that's stiff and cool enough!

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

A battery-operated device that makes a humming sound.

(Electrolarynx, NCI Dictionary)

Hum! It was a very remarkable performance—very remarkable.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

No animals nor humming insects broke the silence.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

Visited Renfield very early, before the attendant went his rounds. Found him up and humming a tune.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

He got up instantly, went quite to the other end of the walk, and when he came back he was humming a tune.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

“Here’s the Prince,” said Jackson, as a hum and bustle rose from the door.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

As he spoke he raised his two feet, with the bow-stave upon their soles, and his cord twanged with a deep rich hum which might be heard across the valley.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“Why, how now, good mother,” said the princess; “what are you doing there?” “Spinning,” said the old lady, and nodded her head, humming a tune, while buzz! went the wheel.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)