Mumbling

Definition: Mumbling

Mumbling

Adjective

1. Speaking low and indistinctly; "a mumbling parson stood beside the dying man"; "muttering crowds of onlookers".

Noun

1. Indistinct enunciation.

2. Ineffectual chewing (as if without teeth).

Date "mumbling" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1509. (references)

Synonyms: Mumbling

Synonyms: muttering (adj), gumming (n). (additional references)

Crosswords: Mumbling

English words defined with "mumbling": muttering. (references)

Specialty definitions using "mumbling": mumblage ♦ Past. (references)

Domain	Usage
Screenplays	Beat my teeth out, then kick me in the stomach for mumbling. (The Big Sleep; writing credit: William Faulkner, Leigh Brackett, and Jules Furthman. Based on the novel by Raymond Chandler.)
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Play	Caption
	Garble; dunno; garbled; garbling; mumbling; mutter; grumble; grumbling; muttering.
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Title	Author	Quote
Grapes of Wrath	Steinbeck, John	He turned the pages and read, mumbling his lips, saying the words under his breath.
Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Subject	Topic	Quote
Lexicography	Devil's Dictionary	PAST, n. That part of Eternity with some small fraction of which we have a slight and regrettable acquaintance. A moving line called the Present parts it from an imaginary period known as the Future. These two grand divisions of Eternity, of which the one is continually effacing the other, are entirely unlike. The one is dark with sorrow and disappointment, the other bright with prosperity and joy. The Past is the region of sobs, the Future is the realm of song. In the one crouches Memory, clad in sackcloth and ashes, mumbling penitential prayer; in the sunshine of the other Hope flies with a free wing, beckoning to temples of success and bowers of ease. Yet the Past is the Future of yesterday, the Future is the Past of to-morrow. They are one -- the knowledge and the dream.
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits.

"Mumbling" is generally used as a lexical verb (-ing form) -- approximately 91.95% of the time. "Mumbling" is used about 87 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted)

Parts of Speech	Percent	Usage per 100 Million Words	Rank in English
Lexical Verb (-ing form)	91.95%	80	37,112
Adjective (general or positive)	4.6%	4	175,879
Noun (singular)	3.45%	3	202,518
Total	100.00%	87	N/A

The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com.

Language		Translations for "mumbling"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses.
Albanian		murmuritje (gabble, grumble, mumble, murmur, muttering). (various references)

Arabic		‏تمتمة (murmur, mutter, muttering, stammer, stammering, stutter, stuttering). (various references)

Bulgarian		мънкане (hum, mumble, mutter). (various references)

Chinese		含糊地说 (Mumbled). (various references)

French		marmonnant. (various references)

German		murmelnd (babbling, murmuring, muttering). (various references)

Hebrew		מלמול (chattering, jabbering, mumble, mutter, muttering). (various references)

Hungarian		motyogás (mumble, mutter, muttering), morgás (bitch, crabbing, droning, grouch, grousing, growl, grumble, grumbling, grunt, muttering, snarl), dörmögés (grousing, growl, grumble, grumbling, moan, muttering). (various references)

Indonesian		komat-kamit (mumble). (various references)

Japanese Kanji		壁訴訟 (grumbling or mumbling to oneself). (various references)

Japanese Katakana		かべぞしょう (grumbling or mumbling to oneself), かべそしょう (grumbling or mumbling to oneself). (various references)

Manx		mungley (mumble). (various references)

Pig Latin		umblingmay

Portuguese		balbuciante (babbling, muttering, stammering, stuttering), balbuciação (babble, babbling, mumble, mutter, muttering, prattle, stammer, stammering, stutter, stuttering). (various references)

Romanian		murmur (babble, babbling, Bicker, brawl, chatter, garrulity, hum, moan, murmur, mutter, prattle, rhubarb, ripple, rustle, rustling, warble), mormãit (groan, growl, grumbling, grunt, mumble, mutter, muttered, muttering, snarl). (various references)

Russian		бормотание (burble, gabble, haw, mumble, mutter, muttering). (various references)

Serbo-Croatian		mrmljanje (falderal, mumble, mutter, muttering). (various references)

Spanish		masculleo. (various references)

Swedish		muttrande (murmur, mutter, muttering). (various references)

Turkish		mırıldama. (various references)

Ukrainian		бурмотіння (babble, jabber, mumble). (various references)

Welsh		myngus (indistinct). (various references)
Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references.

Misspellings
	"Mumbling" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: dumbling, Membland, mumblingly, mumming. (additional references)
Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references).

# of Phoneme Matches	Pronunciation	Word(s) rhyming with "mumbling" (pronounced mu"mbuling or mu"mbling)
7	-u" m b u l i ng	bumbling, crumbling, fumbling, grumbling, humbling, rumbling, stumbling, tumbling.
6	-m b u l i ng	ambling, assembling, gambling, resembling, scrambling, trembling.
5	-b u l i ng	babbling, bubbling, dabbling, disabling, doubling, dribbling, enabling, gobbling, hobbling, labeling, mislabeling, nibbling, quibbling, redoubling, scribbling, squabbling, tabling, troubling, warbling, wobbling.
4	-u l i ng	backpedaling, baffling, barreling, battling, belittling, bicycling, boggling, bottling, bristling, bugling, bundling, bungling, bustling, cackling, canceling, cancelling, channeling, chortling, circling, coddling, commingling, counseling, cradling, crippling, cycling, dangling, dazzling, Dialing, disgruntling, dismantling, drizzling, dwindling, embezzling, empaneling, encircling, entitling, equaling, fizzling, fondling, funneling, giggling, groveling, grueling, gurgling, guzzling, haggling, hassling, huddling, hurdling, hustling, idling, imperiling, initialing, intermingling, jiggling, jostling, juggling, leveling, mangling, marshaling, meddling, middling, mingling, modeling, mottling, muddling, muscling, paddling, paneling, parceling, pedaling, peddling, piddling, pummeling, puzzling, quadrupling, quarreling, raveling, recycling, refueling, remodeling, reshuffling, reveling, rippling, rivaling, ruffling, saddling, scuttling, settling, shriveling, shuttling, signaling, signalling, singling, sizzling, spiraling, spiralling, stapling, stenciling, strangling, struggling, swiveling, throttling, tingling, tinkling, toppling, totaling, totalling, toweling, traveling, travelling, tripling, tunneling, twinkling, unraveling, unsettling, waggling, wiggling, wrangling, wrinkling, yodeling.
3	-l i ng	ailing, angling, annealing, appalling, appealing, assailing, bailing, baling, balling, bankrolling, beguiling, Belling, billing, blackmailing, boiling, Bolling, bowling, brawling, broiling, buckling, burgling, burling, cajoling, calling, Carling, ceiling, chilling, chronicling, chuckling, compelling, compiling, concealing, consoling, controlling, cooling, corralling, countervailing, coupling, cowling, crackling, crawling, cuddling, culling, curling, curtailing, darling, dawdling, dealing, decoupling, derailing, detailing, dispelling, dissembling, distilling, doling, drilling, drooling, duckling, dueling, dulling, dumpling, dwelling, earthling, emailing, enrolling, entailing, entangling, excelling, expelling, extolling, failing, falling, feeling, felling, fiddling, filing, filling, flailing, fledgling, foaling, foiling, fooling, forestalling, foretelling, fouling, foundling, freewheeling, fueling, fuelling, fulfilling, galling, grappling, Grayling, grilling, groundling, growling, hailing, handling, hauling, healing, heckling, helling, hilling, holing, howling, hurling, hurtling, inhaling, inkling, installing, instilling, jailing, Keeling, killing, kindling, kneeling, lolling, Lulling, mailing, Marling, Melling, milling, mishandling, misspelling, mothballing, mulling, nailing, needling, nestling, nonruling, oiling, outselling, overbilling, overhauling, overkilling, overruling, overselling, panhandling, paralleling, parboiling, paroling, patrolling, pearling, peeling, pickling, piling, Pilling, Pindling, poling, polling, pooling, prevailing, profiling, propelling, prowling, pulling, quelling, quilling, Quisling, railing, rambling, rankling, rappelling, rattling, rebelling, recalling, reconciling, reeling, regaling, rekindling, repealing, repelling, rescheduling, reselling, retailing, retelling, retooling, revealing, ridiculing, Riesling, rifling, rilling, roiling, rolling, rototilling, ruling, rustling, sailing, sampling, Sandling, sapling, scaling, scheduling, Schilling, schooling, scowling, sealing, seedling, Seeling, selling, shelling, shilling, shoveling, shuffling, sibling, skilling, smelling, smiling, smuggling, snarling, Snelling, snowballing, sparkling, Sparling, spelling, spilling, spoiling, sprawling, sprinkling, squealing, stalling, starling, startling, stealing, sterling, stifling, stockpiling, stonewalling, storytelling, straddling, strickling, stripling, strolling, styling, suckling, surveilling, swashbuckling, swelling, swilling, swindling, swirling, tackling, tailing, tangling, telling, thrilling, Tilling, toddling, toggling, toiling, tolling, tooling, trailing, trampling, trickling, trifling, trilling, trolling, twiddling, twirling, unappealing, unavailing, unbundling, underling, underselling, unfailing, unfeeling, unfurling, unsmiling, untangling, unveiling, unwilling, veiling, waffling, wailing, walling, weakling, welling, whaling, wheeling, whirling, whistling, whittling, wholesaling, wiling, willing, wrestling, yearling, yelling.
5	-m b l i ng	dissembling, rambling.
4	-b l i ng	sibling.
3	-l i ng	ailing, ambling, angling, annealing, appalling, appealing, assailing, assembling, babbling, backpedaling, baffling, bailing, baling, balling, bankrolling, barreling, battling, beguiling, belittling, Belling, bicycling, billing, blackmailing, boggling, boiling, Bolling, bottling, bowling, brawling, bristling, broiling, bubbling, buckling, bugling, bumbling, bundling, bungling, burgling, burling, bustling, cackling, cajoling, calling, canceling, cancelling, Carling, ceiling, channeling, chilling, chortling, chronicling, chuckling, circling, coddling, commingling, compelling, compiling, concealing, consoling, controlling, cooling, corralling, counseling, countervailing, coupling, cowling, crackling, cradling, crawling, crippling, crumbling, cuddling, culling, curling, curtailing, cycling, dabbling, dangling, darling, dawdling, dazzling, dealing, decoupling, derailing, detailing, Dialing, disabling, disgruntling, dismantling, dispelling, distilling, doling, doubling, dribbling, drilling, drizzling, drooling, duckling, dueling, dulling, dumpling, dwelling, dwindling, earthling, emailing, embezzling, empaneling, enabling, encircling, enrolling, entailing, entangling, entitling, equaling, excelling, expelling, extolling, failing, falling, feeling, felling, fiddling, filing, filling, fizzling, flailing, fledgling, foaling, foiling, fondling, fooling, forestalling, foretelling, fouling, foundling, freewheeling, fueling, fuelling, fulfilling, fumbling, funneling, galling, gambling, giggling, gobbling, grappling, Grayling, grilling, groundling, groveling, growling, grueling, grumbling, gurgling, guzzling, haggling, hailing, handling, hassling, hauling, healing, heckling, helling, hilling, hobbling, holing, howling, huddling, humbling, hurdling, hurling, hurtling, hustling, idling, imperiling, inhaling, initialing, inkling, installing, instilling, intermingling, jailing, jiggling, jostling, juggling, Keeling, killing, kindling, kneeling, labeling, leveling, lolling, Lulling, mailing, mangling, Marling, marshaling, meddling, Melling, middling, milling, mingling, mishandling, mislabeling, misspelling, modeling, mothballing, mottling, muddling, mulling, muscling, nailing, needling, nestling, nibbling, nonruling, oiling, outselling, overbilling, overhauling, overkilling, overruling, overselling, paddling, paneling, panhandling, paralleling, parboiling, parceling, paroling, patrolling, pearling, pedaling, peddling, peeling, pickling, piddling, piling, Pilling, Pindling, poling, polling, pooling, prevailing, profiling, propelling, prowling, pulling, pummeling, puzzling, quadrupling, quarreling, quelling, quibbling, quilling, Quisling, railing, rankling, rappelling, rattling, raveling, rebelling, recalling, reconciling, recycling, redoubling, reeling, refueling, regaling, rekindling, remodeling, repealing, repelling, rescheduling, reselling, resembling, reshuffling, retailing, retelling, retooling, revealing, reveling, ridiculing, Riesling, rifling, rilling, rippling, rivaling, roiling, rolling, rototilling, ruffling, ruling, rumbling, rustling, saddling, sailing, sampling, Sandling, sapling, scaling, scheduling, Schilling, schooling, scowling, scrambling, scribbling, scuttling, sealing, seedling, Seeling, selling, settling, shelling, shilling, shoveling, shriveling, shuffling, shuttling, signaling, signalling, singling, sizzling, skilling, smelling, smiling, smuggling, snarling, Snelling, snowballing, sparkling, Sparling, spelling, spilling, spiraling, spiralling, spoiling, sprawling, sprinkling, squabbling, squealing, stalling, stapling, starling, startling, stealing, stenciling, sterling, stifling, stockpiling, stonewalling, storytelling, straddling, strangling, strickling, stripling, strolling, struggling, stumbling, styling, suckling, surveilling, swashbuckling, swelling, swilling, swindling, swirling, swiveling, tabling, tackling, tailing, tangling, telling, thrilling, throttling, Tilling, tingling, tinkling, toddling, toggling, toiling, tolling, tooling, toppling, totaling, totalling, toweling, trailing, trampling, traveling, travelling, trembling, trickling, trifling, trilling, tripling, trolling, troubling, tumbling, tunneling, twiddling, twinkling, twirling, unappealing, unavailing, unbundling, underling, underselling, unfailing, unfeeling, unfurling, unraveling, unsettling, unsmiling, untangling, unveiling, unwilling, veiling, waffling, waggling, wailing, walling, warbling, weakling, welling, whaling, wheeling, whirling, whistling, whittling, wholesaling, wiggling, wiling, willing, wobbling, wrangling, wrestling, wrinkling, yearling, yelling, yodeling.
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits.

Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams
	Words within the letters "b-g-i-l-m-m-n-u"
	-1 letter: bluming, bumming.
	-2 letters: bluing, lubing, muling.
	-3 letters: linum, lungi.
	-4 letters: blin, bung, glib, glim, glum, iglu, limb, limn, ling, lung, muni, numb.
	-5 letters: big, bin, bug, bum, bun, gib, gin, gnu, gul, gum, gun, lib, lin, lug, lum, mib, mig, mil, mim, mug, mum, mun, nib, nil, nim, nub, umm.
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro.