buzz

[ buhz ]

noun

1. a low, vibrating, humming sound, as of bees, machinery, or people talking.
2. Informal. a rumor or report:

   There's a buzz going around that he'll soon be fired.

3. Informal. a phone call:

   When I find out, I'll give you a buzz.

4. Slang.
   1. a feeling of intense enthusiasm, interest, excitement, or exhilaration: Their ads are generating plenty of buzz.

      I get a terrific buzz from those Pacific sunsets.

      Their ads are generating plenty of buzz.

   2. a feeling of slight intoxication or overstimulation from liquor or drugs:

      Too much caffeine gives me a buzz.

5. buzzcut ( def ).

verb (used without object)

1. to make a low, vibrating, humming sound.
2. to speak or murmur with such a sound.
3. to be filled with the sound of buzzing or whispering:

   The room buzzed.

4. to whisper; gossip:

   Everyone is buzzing about the scandal.

5. to move busily from place to place.
6. Slang. to go; leave (usually followed by off or along ): Tell him to buzz off and leave me alone.

   I'll buzz along now.

   Tell him to buzz off and leave me alone.

verb (used with object)

1. to make a buzzing sound with:

   The fly buzzed its wings.

2. to tell or spread (a rumor, gossip, etc.) secretively.
3. to signal or summon with a buzzer:

   He buzzed his assistant.

4. Informal. to make a phone call to.
5. Aeronautics.
   1. to fly a plane very low over:

      to buzz a field.

   2. to signal or greet (someone) by flying a plane low and slowing the motor spasmodically.

buzz

/ bʌz /

noun

1. a rapidly vibrating humming sound, as that of a prolonged z or of a bee in flight
2. a low sound, as of many voices in conversation
3. a rumour; report; gossip
4. informal.
   a telephone call

   I'll give you a buzz

5. slang.
   1. a pleasant sensation, as from a drug such as cannabis
   2. a sense of excitement; kick

verb

1. intr to make a vibrating sound like that of a prolonged z
2. intr to talk or gossip with an air of excitement or urgency

   the town buzzed with the news

3. tr to utter or spread (a rumour)
4. introften foll byabout to move around quickly and busily; bustle
5. tr to signal or summon with a buzzer
6. informal.
   tr to call by telephone
7. informal.
   tr
   1. to fly an aircraft very low over (an object)

      to buzz a ship

   2. to fly an aircraft very close to or across the path of (another aircraft), esp to warn or intimidate
8. tr (esp of insects) to make a buzzing sound with (wings, etc)

Derived Forms

• ˈbuzzing, nounadjective

Other Words From

• buzz·ing·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of buzz¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English busse; imitative

Word History and Origins

Origin of buzz¹

C16: of imitative origin

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. have / get a buzz on, Slang. to be slightly intoxicated:

   After a few beers they all had a buzz on.

Example Sentences

As you both know, we are fully in Oscar season, where the buzz starts, and folks are starting to maybe even make some bets about who’s going to do what, what movie’s going to do what.

From Los Angeles Times

“Here” “Apart from these, ‘The Fire Inside,’ ‘Baby girl,’ ‘Nickel Boys,’ ‘All We Imagine as Light,’ and about a dozen or so other films all have buzz about them this Oscar season.

From Los Angeles Times

For the past two years, there has been a buzz around the “wonderdrug” Ozempic — a medication in the class known as GLP-1 receptor agonists — from clickbait celebrity gossip websites to the front pages of leading medical journals.

From Salon

New products, medications and treatments will always create a buzz if they've offered signs of success in alleviating those symptoms - to those appropriately prescribed them.

From BBC

But that buzz creates a demand.

From BBC

Related Words

• news
• rumble
• rumor
• whisper