{Hummingale}, lively or strong ale. --Dryden.
{Humming bird} (Zo["o]l.), any bird of the family
{Trochilid[ae]}, of which over one hundred genera are
known, including about four hundred species. They are
found only in America and are most abundant in the
tropics. They are mostly of very small size, and are not
for their very brilliant colors and peculiar habit of
hovering about flowers while vibrating their wings very
rapidly with a humming noise. They feed both upon the
nectar of flowers and upon small insects. The common
humming bird or ruby-throat of the Eastern United States
is {Trochilus culubris}. Several other species are found
in the Western United States. See {Calliope}, and
{Ruby-throat}.
{Humming-bird moth} (Zo["o]l.), a hawk moth. See {Hawk moth},
under {Hawk}, the bird.
Still humming on, their drowsy course they keep.
--Pope.
2. To make a nasal sound, like that of the letter m
prolonged, without opening the mouth, or articulating; to
mumble in monotonous undertone; to drone.
The cloudy messenger turns me his back, And hums.
--Shak.
3. [Cf. {Hum}, interj.] To make an inarticulate sound, like
h'm, through the nose in the process of speaking, from
embarrassment or a affectation; to hem.
4. To express satisfaction by a humming noise.
Here the spectators hummed. --Trial of the
Regicides.
Note: Formerly the habit of audiences was to express
gratification by humming and displeasure by hissing.
5. To have the sensation of a humming noise; as, my head
hums, -- a pathological condition.