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View synonyms for mum

mum

1

[ muhm ]

adjective

  1. silent; not saying a word:

    to keep mum.



interjection

  1. (used to demand immediate silence.)

mum

2
or mumm

[ muhm ]

verb (used without object)

, mummed, mum·ming.
  1. to say “mum”; call for silence.
  2. to act as a mummer.

mum

3

[ muhm ]

mum

4

[ muhm ]

noun

, Chiefly British.

mum

5

[ muhm ]

noun

  1. a strong beer or ale, first made in Brunswick, Germany.

mum

6

[ muhm ]

noun

, Chiefly British.

mum

1

/ mʌm /

noun

  1. an informal word for mother 1
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


mum

2

/ mʌm /

verb

  1. intr to act in a mummer's play
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

mum

3

/ mʌm /

adjective

  1. keeping information to oneself; silent
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. mum's the word
    silence or secrecy is to be observed
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

mum

4

/ mʌm /

noun

  1. obsolete.
    a type of beer made from cereals, beans, etc
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of mum1

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

Origin of mum2

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English mommen, verb use of mum 1; compare Middle Dutch mommen ”to act the mummer's part”

Origin of mum3

First recorded in 1890–95; shortened form

Origin of mum4

First recorded in 1815–25; nursery word; mom

Origin of mum5

First recorded in 1630–40; from German Mumme, said to have been named after Christian Mumme, the brewer who made it

Origin of mum6

Variant of ma'am
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Word History and Origins

Origin of mum1

C19: a child's word

Origin of mum2

C16: verbal use of mum ²

Origin of mum3

C14: suggestive of closed lips

Origin of mum4

C17: from German Mumme, perhaps from the name of its original brewer
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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. mum's the word, do not reveal what you know (about something); keep silent:

    Mum's the word, or the surprise party won't be a surprise.

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Example Sentences

This might be why Cosby is keeping mum on the accusations, despite the obvious public relations disaster.

If there was another goal, the Obama administration is keeping mum about it.

The presidential hopefuls fire up the faithful with promises to extend the Republican revolution to 2016, as Jeb Bush stays mum.

I think maybe it was the justification he used for that and how he treated my mum for having what he thought was an affair.

“Mum was living in fear as well we were trapped,” Cumming tells me.

People would call me a low-down Abolitionist and despise me for keeping mum—but that don't make no difference.

Mrs. Maynard, with a sparkling glance about her that says "Mum," has slipped off her wedding-ring, and Belle has taken her hand.

Oh, Mum, I was going to get you a sweet little bracelet of old Irish paste—you know—a thing in four little chains.

And I have something to tell him, Mum—he'll—he'll be having a little sister in the spring.

Their tongues and loud Rad ram's-horns do their level best to win it, Mum.

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Related Words

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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