mumble

From Middle English momelen. Compare German mümmeln, Middle Dutch mommelen and Dutch mompelen.

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• 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.

   • Shakespeare

     Peace, you mumbling fool.

   • Otway

     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.

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

2. A low tone of voice.

   He spoke in a mumble.

• bummle