Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1726, 1859-1900, 1957
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HUMMER, v. Also †humber. To murmur, to mumble, to grumble (Slk. 1825 Jam., Cai., m.Lth. 1957); to mutter to oneself. Also found in obs. and dial. Eng.Gall. 1726 Lady Logan Truth Unvail'd 8:
He humbred, as if he thought that was not true.Rxb. a.1860 J. Younger Autobiog. (1881) 403:
He hummered and said something, I forget what.Kcb. 1900 Crockett Stickit Minister's Wooing 133:
And a wheen silly lasses, wi' gum-floo'ers in their bonnets to listen to bairns hummerin' ower “Man's Chief End”!Cai.7 1957:
He canna preach, jist hummer.
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"Hummer v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 18 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/hummer>
