# humming

Pronunciation: say "HUM-ing" /ˈhʌmɪŋ/

## Verb

1. Present participle of hum. — present participle and gerund of hum
   - Simple: The -ing form of hum. Use it after am, is, are, was or were, or to name the action.
   - _A generator was humming somewhere behind the building._
   - _Humming under her breath, she finished the report._

## Adjective

2. Producing a low, continuous sound, like a hum or soft buzz.
   - Simple: Producing a low, steady sound like a soft buzz.
   - _The humming transformer on the pole gave off a steady drone._
   - _Engineers traced the noise to a humming cooling fan inside the case._
4. Giving off a very bad, unpleasant smell. *(slang, UK)*
   - Simple: Smelling really bad and unpleasant.
   - _Open a window. Somebody left their gym clothes in the locker room all weekend and they're humming._
   - _That cheese is properly humming, so keep it out of the fridge._

## Noun

3. A low, continuous sound made by something that hums.
   - Simple: A low, steady sound that keeps going, like a soft buzz.
   - _The humming of the refrigerator was the only sound in the kitchen._
   - _He noticed a faint electrical humming behind the wall._

## Adjective

5. Of ale or beer, unusually strong; potent. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: Describing beer or ale that is very strong.
   - _The landlord kept a barrel of humming ale for his favorite patrons._
   - _A single tankard of the humming beer was enough to fell a grown man._

## Origin

**Meanings 1–2, 4–5** — Formed from "hum" combined with the suffix "-ing".
**Meaning 3** — From Middle English "hummynge", equivalent to "hum" combined with the suffix "-ing".

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/humming (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).