remurmurv.
/rᵻˈməːmə/, U.S. /rəˈmərmər/ Chiefly poetic.
1. † b. intransitive. To reply to a sound, or the source of a sound, softly or murmuringly. Obsolete.† c. intransitive. Of a sound: to re-echo softly and indistinctly. Obsolete.
a. intransitive. Of a place: to re-echo with low, subdued sounds (frequently with with). Also of the wind, a stream, etc.: to make a continuous murmuring sound. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > faintness or weakness > sound faintly or quietly [verb (intransitive)] > make murmuring sounds
murmurc1395
croona1500
mustle1570
mute1570
simmera1637
hummer1691
remurmur1697
hum1730
mummer1763
whimper?1795
mutter1797
brum1844
rumour1894
1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Georgics iv, in tr. Virgil Wks. 142 The Realms of Mars remurmur'd all around. View more context for this quotation
1698 W. Congreve Birth of Muse 7 The whisp'ring Breeze With fragrant Breath remurmurs thro' the Trees.
1705 P. Motteux Don Quixote (ed. 2) II. i. iv. xxi. 276 A pleasing Rivulet..remurmurs over the whitest Pebbles.
1747 T. Gibbons Elegy Death Gardiner in P. Doddridge Some Remarkable Passages Life Col. J. Gardiner App. ii. 204 Heav'ns high Crystal Domes remurmur with the Sound.
1817 R. Polewhele in A. Seward Monody on Major Andre (ed. 10) 87 No favourite brook remurmuring in my ear.
1840 G. Darley Thomas à Becket i. iii. 17 These vast domes re-murmur with sweet sighs Or throb with echoing laughter.
1870 W. C. Bryant tr. Homer Iliad II. xxi. 279 The banks around Remurmured shrilly.
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1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Æneis xi, in tr. Virgil Wks. 559 A jarring Sound..Like that of Swans remurm'ring to the Floods.
1712 A. Pope tr. Statius First Bk. Thebais in Misc. Poems 15 Eurota's Banks remurmur'd to the Noise.
1769 W. Falconer Shipwreck (ed. 3) i. 2 Yonder cave, Whose vaults remurmur to the roaring wave.
1813 W. Allston Sylphs of Seasons 134 Some delicious spring Remurmurs to the leaves that play Mid palm and date and flow'ret gay.
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the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > resonance or sonority > resound [verb (intransitive)] > reverberate or echo > of sounds
rebounda1398
redounda1470
echo1563
reverberate1591
remurmur1699
verberate1767
1699 P. Motteux Island Princess iv. 29 Where poor Eccho sweetly grieves, And remurmurs thro' the Leaves.
1717 T. Parnell tr. Homer's Battle Frogs & Mice iii. 19 The sounded Charge remurmurs o'er the Ground.
1717 A. Pope tr. Homer Iliad III. x. 563 A low Groan remurmur'd thro' the Shore.
1790 A. Wilson Poems 191 Crying, and sighing, Remurmur'd through the Glen.
2. transitive. To repeat (sounds, words, etc.) in a murmur; to murmur (something) repeatedly.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > faintness or weakness > make quieter [verb (transitive)] > make murmuring sound
mutter1572
purl1648
remurmur1709
whimper?1795
hummera1860
rumour1887
1709 A. Pope Winter in Poet. Misc.: 6th Pt. vi. 749 The trembling Trees..Her Fate remurmur to the silver Flood.
1789 J. White Earl Strongbow I. 202 The woods, the valleys, the mountains around..daily remurmur the effusions of my misery.
1866 A. C. Swinburne Laus Veneris (1867) 217 Laugh or groan, Doth heaven remurmur and repeat Sad sounds or sweet?
1886 J. Todhunter Helena in Troas 5 His heart replied, Remurmuring Helen's name.
1916 E. L. Masters Songs & Satires 93 If I loved you I should lie in flame, And go about re-murmuring your name, And these are things a man should be above.
1997 P. Weidmann tr. P. Bonnefis Céline iii. 134 He would read and reread the passage and remurmur it to himself again.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2009; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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