mum

Noun (1)

mum (plural mums)

1. (Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, New-England, New Zealand) mother
   • 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.1987, Kerry Cue, Hang On To Your Horses Doovers, page 5
   • 'Ooh Mum, Auntie don′t allow smokin’ - Pat′s eyes were round with awe as Mum struck a match.1993, Hilda Hollingsworth, Places of Greater Safety, Zenobia Press edition, page 278

Noun (2)

mum (plural mums)

1. (US) A chrysanthemum.
   • 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 […].1996, David Foster Wallace, “Democracy and Commerce at the US Open”, in Both Flesh And Not, Penguin, published 2013, page 139
2. (US) 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.

Adjective

mum (not comparable)

1. (archaic, colloquial) Silent.
   • The citizens are mum, and speak not a word.c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and...
   • [Vladimir Putin] has serious climate problems. And he has been mum on his willingness to do anything.2021 November 2, Jim Tankersley, Katie Rogers, Lisa Friedman, quoting Joe Biden, “With Methane and Forest Deals, Climate Summit Offers Hope After Gloomy Start”, in The New York Times, →ISSN
2. (colloquial) Secret.
   • “Come here, friend,” sternly from the doctor. “Now I give you the way inside if you’ll promise to keep it mum.”1922, Robert Welles Ritchie, Dust of the Desert, page 149

Interjection

1. stop speaking!, stop talking!, hush!
   • Mum, then, and no more.1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published...
   • Ahab has that that’s bloody on his mind. But, mum; he comes this way.1851 November 14, Herman Melville, chapter 31, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC, page 143

Verb

mum (third-person singular simple present mums, present participle mumming, simple past and past participle mummed)

1. To act in a pantomime or dumb show.
2. (UK, obsolete, slang, transitive) To silence.
   • "Well, Sal, you mum your dubber pretty generally, but when you do slacken your glib you may as well do it civilly."1857, Hidden Links; Or the Schoolfellows. A Tale, volume 2, page 233

Noun (3)

mum (uncountable)

1. (obsolete) Silence.
   • Entrust it under solemn Vows / Of Mum and Silence,[…]1677 (indicated as 1678), [Samuel Butler], “[The Third Part of Hudibras]. Canto II.”, in Hudibras. The Third and Last Part. […], London: […] Robert Horne, […], published 1679, →OCLC; republished in...

Noun (4)

mum (uncountable)

1. A type of strong beer, originally made in Brunswick, Germany.
   • The clamorous crowd is hushed with mugs of mum.1728, [Alexander Pope], “(please specify the page)”, in The Dunciad. An Heroic Poem. […], Dublin; London: […] A. Dodd, →OCLC

Proper noun capitalized: Mum

Mum

1. (informal) One’s mother.
   • I wish Mum and Dad didn't argue so much.

   Synonyms:

   Mom, Mommy, Mother, Mummy

   Antonyms:

   Dad