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Definition of murmur noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

murmur

noun
 
/ˈmɜːmə(r)/
 
/ˈmɜːrmər/
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  1. [countable] a quietly spoken word or words
    • She answered in a faint murmur.
    • Murmurs of ‘Praise God’ went around the circle.
    Extra Examples
    • He gave a little murmur of relief.
    • He took the mug of coffee with a murmur of thanks.
    • She answered in a low murmur.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • dull
    • faint
    • low
    verb + murmur
    • give
    • let out
    • hear
    murmur + verb
    • ripple through something
    • run
    preposition
    • in a murmur
    • with a murmur
    • without a murmur
    phrases
    • the murmur of voices
    See full entry
  2. [countable]
    (also murmurings [plural])
    a quiet expression of feeling
    • a murmur of agreement/approval/complaint
    • He paid the extra cost without a murmur (= without complaining at all).
    • polite murmurings of gratitude
    Extra Examples
    • A murmur of amusement ran round the room.
    • A murmur of excitement rippled through the audience.
    • a general murmur of assent
    • They did as they were told, without a murmur.
  3. (also murmuring)
    [singular] a low continuous sound in the background
    • the distant murmur of traffic
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • soft
    • low
    • distant
    verb + murmur
    • hear
    preposition
    • murmur of
    See full entry
  4. [countable] (medical) a very quiet sound in the chest, usually a sign of damage or disease in the heart
    • a heart murmur
  5. Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French murmure, from murmurer ‘to murmur’, from Latin murmurare, from murmur ‘a murmur’.
See murmur in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

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