Meaning of mum | Babel Free

Definitions

1. Silence.
   obsolete, uncountable
2. A type of strong beer, originally made in Brunswick, Germany.
   uncountable
3. Alternative spelling of ma'am.
   alt-of, alternative, dated, informal
4. One’s mother.
   informal
5. Not verbalizing; silent.
6. A decoration traditionally made of chrysanthemums and ribbons, worn by girls at high school homecoming celebrations, marked with indicators such as the wearer's name, school, the year, and so on.
   US
7. Used as a command to stop speaking.
8. Say nothing of the secret you know: Mum's the word on the surprise party.
9. Mother.
10. A chrysanthemum.
11. A strong beer originally brewed in Brunswick, Germany.
12. silent: to keep mum.
13. to act as a mummer.
14. chrysanthemum.
15. Chiefly Brit. mother 1 (defs. 1, 2).

Equivalents

Examples

“From the Marvel Mixmaster to the Miracle Microwave, every time a new-fangled gadget has lobbed into the Aussie kitchen, Aussie mums have changed their cooking styles accordingly.”

“'Ooh Mum, Auntie don′t allow smokin’ - Pat′s eyes were round with awe as Mum struck a match.”

“Her mum says that she is deaf and only partially sighted, so I need to go and stand in front of her, so she can see the gift.”

““Mum! Mum!” he shouted out. The laughter stopped. Two bright, sparkling yellow eyes peeped from the hollow. Atop her head were the fluffy ear tufts that his mum was so proud of because they were fuller and lovelier than those of most Great Horned Owls. It was indeed his mum!”

“2011, Chyna, FAM: Rolling in a London Girl Gang, unnumbered page, He′s looking at my mum, at her swollen eyes, busted nose and bloodied lips. She′s mashed up something chronic, and the man who did this to her is my dad.”

“I don't know whether that's true or whether New Yorkers are being enjoined from watering the mums in their window boxes or whatever, but I do know that there hasn't been one rain-delay in the whole tournament so far […].”

“Entrust it under solemn Vows / Of Mum and Silence,[…]”

“The clamorous crowd is hushed with mugs of mum.”

““Wy, mum,” said Mr. Weller, “I don’t think you’ll see a many sich, and that’s the truth. But if my son Samivel vould give me my vay, mum, and only dis-pense vith his—might I wenter to say the vurd?” / “What word Mr. Weller?” said the housekeeper, blushing slightly. / “Petticuts, mum,” returned that gentleman, laying his hand upon the garments of his grandson. “If my son Samivel, mum, vould only dis-pense vith these here, you’d see such a alteration in his appearance, as the imagination can’t depicter.””

“[H]e axed if wer stock o' coals was nearly done. I telled him it was, an' we was ill set to get more—but you know mum I didn't think o' him helping us—but howsever, he sent us a sack o' coals next day; […]”

“"A telegruff message, mum, for Mr. William," said the maid, looking at her mistress with eyes opened wide, as she handed the important bit of paper to her master.”

“Then she took off the hank and looked me straight in the face, but very pleasant, and says: / “Come, now—what’s your real name? / “Wh-what, mum?” / “What’ your real name? Is it Bill, or Tom, or Bob?—or what is it?””

“I wish Mum and Dad didn't argue so much.”

CEFR level