| 释义 |
▪ I. um, 'um
var. of 'em, hem pron.
Common in 17th c. writers; now only dial.
1606Chapman Gentlem. Usher ii. i. 82 Come strew this roome afresh; spread here this carpet... Come sir Giles Goosecap, I must do all my selfe, lay me vm thus. c1610Beaum. & Fl. Philaster i. i, But ever when he turned His tender eyes upon 'um, he would weep. 1664Dryden & Howard Ind. Queen v. i, How can the Gods delight in humane blood? Think 'um not cruel; if you think 'um good. 1689Pol. Ballads (1860) II. 12 May they all repent 'um And to Holland be sent home, On condition we lose all the money we lent 'um. 1859J. Richardson Song. Sol. v. 3 I've weish't my feet; hoo s'all I soil um? 1887Jefferies Amaryllis iii. 19 Th' pigeons have been at um, they be 'mazing fond of um, so be the larks.
▪ II. um, pron.2 dial.|əm|
Also 'um.
[Repr. regional pronunc. of him.]
= him pron.
1823E. Moor Suffolk Words & Phr. 457 Um, him, them— em also. Common abbreviations. 1909Atlantic Monthly July 136/2 When the bleachers echoed with the cry, ‘Kill 'um’, the sound was not unfamiliar, but in the South we should have meant kill a number of people; these gentlemen meant only, ‘Kill the umpire’. 1921H. Williamson Beautiful Yrs. 30 Naw then, I'll box ees ears for um, saucy boy. 1936‘N. Blake’ Thou Shell of Death ii. 40 That's him. D'ye know um? 1985M. Munro Patter 72 Um, broad Glaswegian pronunciation of him: ‘Ah telt um no tae bother.’
▪ III. um, int.|(ə)m|
[Imitative. Cf. hum int.]
1. Used to indicate hesitating or inarticulate utterance on the part of a speaker.
1672Vanbrugh Mistake iv. i, Certain Immotions, which—um—cause, as one may suppose, a sort of convulsive—yes—Hurricanious—um—Like in short; a Woman, is like the Devil. 1748Richardson Clarissa VI. 101 ‘Madam—I cannot excuse myself’—um, um, um, um, um, um—‘I must own to you, Madam, that [etc.]’. 1933P. MacDonald Mystery of Dead Police viii. 63 ‘I don't think,’ she said, ‘that you two know each other..Mr. Revel—Captain Um-ha’. 1974C. Hampton Savages v. 39, I publish, I mean I have had published, a few what we used to call slim volumes of verse, um, poetry, you know.
2. Used to indicate hesitation or doubt in replying to another.
1777Sheridan Trip Scarb. iii. ii, Love[less]. (Kissing her.) In matters of love, a woman's oath is no more to be minded than a man's. Ber. Um! 1818Scott Rob Roy x, ‘Was this selection of studies Rashleigh's choice, or your own, Miss Vernon?’ I asked. ‘Um!’ said she, as if hesitating to answer my question. 1844Alb. Smith Adv. Mr. Ledbury (1856) I. xiii. 99 Um! I don't see the..necessity. 1898‘Merriman’ Roden's Corner ii. 19 ‘Is it..the Victoria Cross?’ she asked. ‘Um—yes,’ admitted White.
3. Used to indicate assent.
1913J. Vaizey College Girl vii. 98 ‘Shall I tell you?’.. ‘Um!’ ‘Very well, then.’ 1964L. Deighton Funeral in Berlin xlii. 271 ‘You knew I was working for the Israeli Intelligence.’ ‘Is that who you work for?’ I said... ‘Um,’ she said. 1974N. Freeling Dressing of Diamond 49 ‘Um,’ said Vera vaguely... The ‘um’ was only a symbol.
Hence as v. intr., to make an utterance indicative of hesitation; also as n.
1913Kipling Songs from Books 74 Sometimes in a smoking-room, through clouds of ‘Ers’ and ‘Ums’. 1962P. Purser Peregrination 22 vii. 35, I ummed in agreement. 1980J. O'Faolain No Country for Young Men iii. 67, I drink to doubt..and stutters and ums and ahs. Beware of the smooth-speaker. |