murmur

—murmurer, n. —murmurless, adj. —murmurlessly, adv.

/merr"meuhr/, n.

1. a low, continuous sound, as of a brook, the wind, or trees, or of low, indistinct voices.

2. a mumbled or private expression of discontent.

3. Also called heart murmur. Med.

a. an abnormal sound heard on listening to the heart, usually through a stethoscope, produced by the blood passing through deformed cardiac valves.

b. in some persons a similar sound heard when blood passes through normal valves.

4. Phonet. a voice quality in which vibration of the vocal cords is accompanied by the escape of a great deal of air, as in the /h/ of ahead; breathy voice.

v.i.

5. to make a low or indistinct sound, esp. continuously.

6. to speak in a low tone or indistinctly.

7. to complain in a low tone or in private.

v.t.

8. to sound by murmurs.

9. to utter in a low tone: He murmured a threat as he left the room.

[1275-1325; (v.) ME murmuren < L murmurare; (n.) ME < L]

Syn. 1. grumble, susurration, mumble, complaint, mutter. 6. MURMUR, MUMBLE, MUTTER mean to make sounds that are not fully intelligible. To MURMUR is to utter sounds or words in a low, almost inaudible tone, as in expressing affection or dissatisfaction: to murmur disagreement. To MUMBLE is to utter imperfect or inarticulate sounds with the mouth partly closed, so that the words can be distinguished only with difficulty: to mumble the answer to a question. To MUTTER is to utter words in a low, grumbling way, often voicing complaint or discontent, not meant to be fully audible: to mutter complaints. 7. grouse.

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