From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Humming \Hum"ming\, a.
Emitting a murmuring sound; droning; murmuring; buzzing.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Humming \Hum"ming\, n.
A sound like that made by bees; a low, murmuring sound; a
hum.
[1913 Webster]
{Hummingale}, lively or strong ale. --Dryden.
{Humming-bird moth} (Zool.), a hawk moth. See {Hawk moth},
under {Hawk}, the bird.
[1913 Webster] hummingbird
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Hum \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.
Fletcher.
[1913 Webster]
Still humming on, their drowsy course they keep.
--Pope.
[1913 Webster]
2. To make a nasal sound, like that of the letter m
prolonged, without opening the mouth, or articulating; to
mumble in monotonous undertone; to drone.
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The cloudy messenger turns me his back,
And hums. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
3. [Cf. {Hum}, interj.] To make an inarticulate sound, like
h'm, through the nose in the process of speaking, from
embarrassment or a affectation; to hem.
[1913 Webster]
4. To express satisfaction by a humming noise.
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Here the spectators hummed. --Trial of the
Regicides.
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Note: Formerly the habit of audiences was to express
gratification by humming and displeasure by hissing.
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5. To have the sensation of a humming noise; as, my head
hums, -- a pathological condition.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
humming
n 1: a humming noise; "the hum of distant traffic" [syn: {hum},
{humming}]
2: the act of singing with closed lips
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