Mum

//mʌm// adj, intj, name, noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Silent. archaic, colloquial, not-comparable

    "The citizens are mum, and speak not a word."

  2. 2
    Secret. colloquial, not-comparable

    "“Come here, friend,” sternly from the doctor. “Now I give you the way inside if you’ll promise to keep it mum.”"

Adjective
  1. 1
    failing to speak or communicate etc. when expected to wordnet
Intj
  1. 1
    stop speaking!, stop talking!, hush!

    "Mum, then, and no more."

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    One’s mother. informal

    "I wish Mum and Dad didn't argue so much."

Noun
  1. 1
    Mother. Commonwealth, Ireland, informal

    "From the Marvel Mixmaster to the Miracle Microwave, every time a new-fangled gadget has lobbed into the Aussie kitchen, Aussie mums have changed their cooking styles accordingly."

  2. 2
    A chrysanthemum. US

    "I don't know whether that's true or whether New Yorkers are being enjoined from watering the mums in their window boxes or whatever, but I do know that there hasn't been one rain-delay in the whole tournament so far […]."

  3. 3
    Silence. obsolete, uncountable

    "Entrust it under solemn Vows / Of Mum and Silence,[…]"

  4. 4
    A type of strong beer, originally made in Brunswick, Germany. uncountable

    "The clamorous crowd is hushed with mugs of mum."

  5. 5
    Alternative spelling of ma'am. alt-of, alternative, dated, informal

    "“Wy, mum,” said Mr. Weller, “I don’t think you’ll see a many sich, and that’s the truth. But if my son Samivel vould give me my vay, mum, and only dis-pense vith his—might I wenter to say the vurd?” / “What word Mr. Weller?” said the housekeeper, blushing slightly. / “Petticuts, mum,” returned that gentleman, laying his hand upon the garments of his grandson. “If my son Samivel, mum, vould only dis-pense vith these here, you’d see such a alteration in his appearance, as the imagination can’t depicter.”"

Show 4 more definitions
  1. 6
    secrecy wordnet
  2. 7
    A decoration traditionally made of chrysanthemums and ribbons, worn by girls at high school homecoming celebrations, marked with indicators such as the wearer's name, school, the year, and so on. US
  3. 8
    informal terms for a mother wordnet
  4. 9
    of China wordnet
Verb
  1. 1
    To act in a pantomime or dumb show.
  2. 2
    To silence. UK, obsolete, slang, transitive

    ""Well, Sal, you mum your dubber pretty generally, but when you do slacken your glib you may as well do it civilly.""

Etymology

Etymology 1

Alternative form of mam, or an abbreviation of mummy. Compare mom, mama.

Etymology 2

Abbreviation of chrysanthemum.

Etymology 3

From Middle English mum or mom (“silent”), reminiscent of the sound made when gagged or with a hand over one's mouth. Perhaps related to dated German Mumme (“mask”).

Etymology 4

From Middle English mum or mom (“silent”), reminiscent of the sound made when gagged or with a hand over one's mouth. Perhaps related to dated German Mumme (“mask”).

Etymology 5

From Middle English mum or mom (“silent”), reminiscent of the sound made when gagged or with a hand over one's mouth. Perhaps related to dated German Mumme (“mask”).

Etymology 6

From Middle English mum or mom (“silent”), reminiscent of the sound made when gagged or with a hand over one's mouth. Perhaps related to dated German Mumme (“mask”).

Etymology 7

From German Mumme.

Etymology 8

A variant of ma'am.

Etymology 9

Proprialisation of mum.

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