MUM (mummed, mumming)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected forms: mummed    , mumming   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does mum mean? 

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

1. of China

2. informal terms for a mother

3. secrecy

  Familiarity information: MUM used as a noun is uncommon.

• MUM (adjective)
  The adjective MUM has 1 sense:

1. failing to speak or communicate etc when expected to

  Familiarity information: MUM used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MUM (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Of China

Classified under:

Nouns denoting plants

Synonyms:

Chrysanthemum morifolium; Dendranthema grandifloruom; florist's chrysanthemum; florists' chrysanthemum; mum

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

chrysanthemum (any of numerous perennial Old World herbs having showy brightly colored flower heads of the genera Chrysanthemum, Argyranthemum, Dendranthema, Tanacetum; widely cultivated)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Informal terms for a mother

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

ma; mama; mamma; mammy; mom; momma; mommy; mum; mummy

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

female parent; mother (a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother))

Sense 3

Meaning:

Secrecy

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Context example:

mum's the word

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

secrecy; secretiveness; silence (the trait of keeping things secret)

Derivation:

mum (failing to speak or communicate etc when expected to)

• MUM (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Failing to speak or communicate etc when expected to

Synonyms:

mum; silent

Context example:

the witness remained silent

Similar:

incommunicative; uncommunicative (not inclined to talk or give information or express opinions)

Derivation:

mum (secrecy)

 Context examples 

You were the little clerk who sat so mum in the corner, and then cried fy on the gleeman.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Hush! You remember those lines—I forget the poem at this moment: Now I say, my dear, in our case, for lady, read—mum! a word to the wise.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

If mum has a difficult birth, that can be a potentially traumatic experience for dads.

(Prenatal parental stress linked to behaviour problems in toddlers, University of Cambridge)

The research used a method called dual electroencephalograhy (EEG) to look at brain signals in both mums and babies while they were interacting with each other.

(Mothers’ and babies’ brains ‘more in tune’ when mother is happy, University of Cambridge)

I gave my order as soberly as I could, and slamming down the door, with an "Aye, aye, mum," the man made his horse walk, as if going to a funeral.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

The Sun is the natural ruler of your house of secrets, and Jupiter is the natural ruler of your fourth house of home, so you may receive a valuable gift from a family member that asks you to keep it mum—just between the two of you.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

"It's one of them horrid telegraph things, mum," she said, handling it as if she was afraid it would explode and do some damage.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

They found that mums and babies tend to synchronise their brain waves – an effect known as interpersonal neural connectivity - particularly in the frequency of 6-9 hertz, the infant alpha range.

(Mothers’ and babies’ brains ‘more in tune’ when mother is happy, University of Cambridge)

Lead author, Professor Claire Hughes from Cambridge’s Centre for Family Research, said: “For too long, the experiences of first-time dads has either been side-lined or treated in isolation from that of mums. This needs to change because difficulties in children’s early relationships with both mothers and fathers can have long-term effects.###!!!###

(Prenatal parental stress linked to behaviour problems in toddlers, University of Cambridge)

That eclipse will reemphasize all the topics that I have discussed above, involving mental and physical health, working in solitude, reflecting on goals, and concerning having to keep mum, such as with a new product launch.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)