hmm

Abbreviation of English Hmong, Mashan.

hmm

1. (international standards) ISO 639-3 language code for Central Mashan Hmong.

• Wiktionary’s coverage of Central Mashan Hmong terms

• hm, hum, hmmm, h'm

See hum.

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /hm̩/, [m̥m̩˦˨]

• Audio (US):

  (file)

hmm

1. Indicates thinking or pondering.

   Hmm... that's an interesting idea.

   Hmm... I just can't decide between the two.

   Hmm... creation or evolution? That’s the big question.

2. Indicates surprise or cluelessness; especially a response by a person who is questioned or addressed when not expecting it.

   "You there! Where are you going?" "Hmm? Oh, I just need to get a drink."

   "Could you pass me the paring knife?" "Hmm? What's a paring knife?"

   • May 12 1991, “Kidnapped!”, in Jeeves and Wooster, season 2, episode 5:

     Jeeves: Foreign travel often liberates emotions best kept in check, sir. The air of North America is notoriously stimulating in this regard, as witness the regrettable behavior of its inhabitants in 1776.
     B. Wooster: Hmm? What happened in 1776, Jeeves?
     Jeeves: I prefer not to dwell on it, if it's convenient to you, sir.

3. A demand for an answer to a question.

   Just where were you until 2 a.m.? Hmm?

• hnn

hmm (third-person singular simple present hmms, present participle hmming, simple past and past participle hmmed)

1. (intransitive) To make a thoughtful humming noise.

• hrmph
• humph
• hmph
• mm-hmm

• MMH, mhm

Commonly found in many languages. Probably imitative.

• IPA^(key): [m̥m̩˦˨]

hmm

1. hmm

• “hmm”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[1] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2 July 2023

• Audio:

  (file)

hmm

1. expressing skepticism

   Paul viendra mardi. - Hmm.. j'en suis pas si sûr.

   Paul will come on Tuesday. - Hmm.. I'm not so sure.

• “hmm”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

hmm

1. Indicating thinking, pondering, surprise or annoyance.

Onomatopoeic.

• IPA^(key): [xm̥m]

• Audio:

  (file)

hmm

1. hmm (indicating thinking or pondering)

   Synonym: hm

• hmm in Polish dictionaries at PWN

hmm

1. alternative form of hm