murmur

views updated May 29 2018

mur·mur / ˈmərmər/ • n. a soft, indistinct sound made by a person or group of people speaking quietly or at a distance: his voice was little more than a murmur. ∎  a softly spoken or almost inaudible utterance: she accepted his offer with a quiet murmur of thanks. ∎  the quiet or subdued expression of a particular feeling by a group of people: there was a murmur of approval from the crowd. ∎  a rumor: he had heard hints only, murmurs. ∎  a low continuous sound: the murmur of bees in the rhododendrons. ∎  Med. a recurring sound heard in the heart through a stethoscope that is usually a sign of disease or damage. ∎ inf. a condition in which the heart produces or is apt to produce such a sound: she had been born with a heart murmur.• v. say something in a low, soft, or indistinct voice: [tr.] Nina murmured an excuse and hurried away | [with direct speech] “How interesting,” he murmured quietly. ∎  [intr.] make a low continuous sound: the wind was murmuring through the trees. ∎  say something cautiously and discreetly: [intr.] they began to murmur of an uprising. ∎  [intr.] (murmur against) archaic express one's discontent about (someone or something) in a subdued manner.PHRASES: without a murmur without complaining.DERIVATIVES: mur·mur·er n.mur·mur·ous / -mərəs/ adj.

murmur

views updated May 29 2018

murmur (mer-mer) n. a noise, heard with the aid of a stethoscope, that is generated by turbulent blood flow within the heart or blood vessels produced by damaged valves, septal defects, narrowed arteries, or arteriovenous communications. continuous m. murmur heard throughout systole and diastole. diastolic m. murmur heard during diastole. innocent m. heart murmur heard in normal individuals. systolic m. murmur heard during systole.

murmur

views updated May 18 2018

murmur subdued continuous sound; inarticulate complaining XIV; softly spoken word(s) XVII. — (O)F. murmure or L. murmur rumbling noise, murmur, rel. to vb. murmurāre (whence (O)F. murmurer, Eng. vb. XIV), corr. to Gr. mormū́rein and with variation OHG. murmurōn, -ulōn (G. murmeln). Du. murmelen burble; redupl. f. imit. base.