mumble
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Etymology
From Middle English momelen, a frequentative of mum (sense 3) (“silent”).[1] Compare German mümmeln, Middle Dutch mommelen and Dutch mompelen.
Pronunciation
Verb
mumble (third-person singular simple present mumbles, present participle mumbling, simple past and past participle mumbled)
- (transitive, intransitive) To speak unintelligibly or inaudibly; to fail to articulate.
- Please try not to mumble so I can hear you better.
- c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene v]:
- Peace, you mumbling fool.
- 1680, Thomas Otway, The Orphan:
- A wrinkled hag, with age grown double, / Picking dry sticks, and mumbling to herself.
- To chew something gently with closed lips.
Synonyms
- See also Thesaurus:mutter
Derived terms
Translations
to speak unintelligibly
|
Noun
mumble (plural mumbles)
- A quiet or unintelligible vocalization; a low tone of voice.
- All I could hear was a mumble from the next room.
- He spoke in a barely comprehensible mumble.
Derived terms
Translations
quiet vocalization
|
References
- Oxford English Dictionary, 1884–1928, and First Supplement, 1933.
Anagrams
Wikiwand in your browser!
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.
Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.
