mumble

From Middle English momelen, a frequentative of mum (sense 3) (“silent”).^[1] Compare German mümmeln, Middle Dutch mommelen and Dutch mompelen. Perhaps related to Norwegian Nynorsk mumpa (“to gum, to chew without teeth”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈmʌmbəl/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʌmbəl

mumble (third-person singular simple present mumbles, present participle mumbling, simple past and past participle mumbled)

1. (transitive, intransitive) To speak unintelligibly or inaudibly; to fail to articulate.

   Please try not to mumble so I can hear you better.

   • c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene v]:

     Peace, you mumbling fool.

   • 1680, Thomas Otway, The Orphan:

     A wrinkled hag, with age grown double, / Picking dry sticks, and mumbling to herself.

2. To chew something gently with closed lips.

• See also Thesaurus:mutter

mumble (plural mumbles)

1. A quiet or unintelligible vocalization; a low tone of voice.

   All I could hear was a mumble from the next room.

   He spoke in a barely comprehensible mumble.

• bummle