origin of mum's the word

 

The word 'mum' was first used by William Langland in his 1376 work Piers Plowman, and the expression itself became popular in the 16th century. The mummers had impunity to indulge in light-hearted mockery of their hosts and to swindle them of a few coins in crooked dice games. Note the similar English word "mime" (Old English "mīma", Latin "mimus") meaning silent actor or imitator. The phrase originated around the 17th century. The Outback advertisement’s use of “Mum!” doesn’t mean it in this sense. Mummy : the English word for mother too originated from a Tamil word. The breast milk for a new born is called as Mammam in Tamil. No, the origin of the phrase has nothing to do with a parent, or an Ancient Egyptian wrapped in bandages. Don't worry, Mum. The first citation of it in print that I have found is in A Walk Around London and Westminster - The Works of Mr. Thomas Brown, 1720: But Mum's the Word - for who would speak their Mind among Tarrs and Commissioners. [Except, it is lawful for people to enjoy themselves in moderation in their own house.]. Synonyms for mum's the word include hush, say nothing, keep quiet, play dumb, keep it secret, keep shtum, hold your tongue, keep it to yourself, not another peep and shut your mouth. Thou mightest beter meten the myst on Malverne hullesThen geten a mom of heore mouth til moneye weore schewed! மம்மம் - Mammam. The origins of the phrase can be traced back to the fourteenth century and William Langland's narrative poem, Piers Plowman:.mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}. What does mum's the word mean? The whole thing was looked on with displeasure by the church and the monarchy. [mainly British, informal] He misses his mum. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. The American word is mom. Even the Oxford English Dictionary has admitted that they have “no evidence” on where the word “dad” originated. No amount of threats by the authorities made any difference whatsoever. Keep it a secret. A list of slang words and phrases, idioms, jargon, acronyms, and abbreviations. Adjectival phrase mom… See definitions of mom. A Swedish botanist named the chrysanthemum from the Greek words chrysos, meaning gold, and anthemon, meaning flower. Spanish Translation. How to say mum's the word in Spanish. ‘Go out and have some fun, but remember, mum's the word!’ ‘But the best thing of all about all the hand-outs in this welfare state is that mum's the word, when it comes to explaining to taxpayers why you need their money.’ ‘The mystery is certainly captivating Washington, while mum's the word at the White House.’ Meaning of mum's the word. Nor has 'mum' anything to do with Egyptian mummies, despite their prolonged taciturn disposition. 'Mumming', or 'miming' as it was sometimes called, derives from the word 'mum'. Ancient growers would not recognize modern mums. The tradition of mumming thrived throughout the Tudor period and continues until the present day. Mum at mother. Mum is the English spelling, and used in Australia and New Zealand. (idiomatic) The accompanying facts are a secret, not to be divulged. The word “mom”, on the other hand, is a slightly different story and it’s widely believed that the word was born from the much older word “mamma” which itself can be traced back to the 1500s in English. The concealing of the identity and not speaking was necessary as the mummers used the visit as an opportunity to get away with things that wouldn't in the rest of the year. Though thi lyppis be stokyn, yit myght thou say 'mum'. regional note: in AM, usually use mom. MOM Meaning: "mother," 1867, American English, perhaps a shortening of mommy; also see mamma. Mum is a Middle English word meaning 'silent',[2] and may be derived from the mummer who acts without speaking. It is related to an expression used by William Shakespeare, in Henry VI, Part 2.[1]. One of the most enduring controversies has been the word's use in Mark Twain's novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885). The phrase notably appears in Shakespeare's Henry VI, Part 2, Act 1, Scene 2: Seal up your lips and give no words but mum. Mama is the first word many babies will use, like Dada, and so no doubt Mam or Mammee or Mama comes from this. As a word, it can be written as ‘hum’ or ‘mmm’, and it has a long history in the English language, dating all the way back to the influential Middle English … ), from mum, mom (late 14c. after his death in a fight with the Turkish Knight (boo, hiss). In 1418 Henry V's Letter-Book records this proclamation: The Mair and Alderman chargen on ye Kynges behalf that no manner persone, duryng this holy tyme of Cristemes be so hardy in any wise to walk by nyght in any manner mommyng or eny ofer disgisynges with any feynyd berdis, peyntid visers, diffourmyd or colourid visages, up peyne of enprisonment. Origin. "be silent," 1560s, from a verb mum (Middle English mommen) "make silent" (c. 1400); "be silent" (mid-15c. The 'mum' of 'mum's the word' is 'mmm' - the humming sound made with a closed mouth, indicating an unwillingness or inability to speak. means to keep this a secret; don't tell anybody. ), "an inarticulate closed-mouth sound" indicative of unwillingness or inability to speak, probably imitative. mamá es la palabra Find more words! The 'mum' in the expression 'mum’s the word' is derived from the humming sound a closed mouth makes, indicating an inability or unwillingness to speak. The origins of the phrase can be traced back to the fourteenth century and William Langland's narrative poem, Piers Plowman: Login . The word for chrysanthemum in both Chinese and Japanese is equivalent to gold flower. The expression ‘mum’s the word’ is an English figure of speech and idiom which is used to tell someone that they must keep a particular information secret. The ‘mum’ of the phrase refers to the humming sound made with a closed mouth, representing an inability or unwillingness to speak. There's another now old-fashioned British expression, using mum in the exact same way - namely, keeping mum, meaning to keep silent. What does mum-s-the-word mean? But the tradition’s origin is largely obscure—and surprisingly, not Texan. mum (interj.) ..Mammam / மம்மம். Although some mums … There was never a definitive version in any case, as the acting, dancing, drinking and alms collecting that made up mumming varied from one parish to another. Mmm certainly was the word for the mummers - it was the only thing they were allowed to utter. This was a popular phrase during the 2nd World War, as you'll see. Your mum is your mother. That 'mummy' derives from 'mum' being an alternative name for the bitumen used for embalming. The word “mum” is a slanged version of momme, which was used between 1350-1400 in Middle English with very close to the same meaning: Be silent; Do not reveal. (phrase) mum bod noun at mom bod. 'Mum's the word' has become a popular name for baby product shops and nursery services, but the 'mum' in this phrase isn't mother. Mum’s the word is an idiom that dates back to the turn of the eighteenth century. Word Forms +-singular: mum: plural: mums: DEFINITIONS 1. At Christmas in England in the Middle Ages householders could expect a visit from a motley group of mummers, who concealed their identity in bizarre disguises. What’s for dinner, Mum? 29 talking about this. The 'mum' of 'mum's the word' is 'mmm' - the humming sound made with a closed mouth, indicating an unwillingness or inability to speak. mum’s the word phrase. You're about to become a mum. This vocabulary-related article is a stub. The slang word / phrase / acronym mum's the word. It can also be seen in popular fifteenth-century Towneley Plays:[4]. An earlier version of the phrase was “mum is counsel”, and was used in the 16th century. This article about the English language is a stub. Mum and Dad are coming for lunch. From around the 17th century onward, mumming took the form of a public performance rather than a house call. As old as Piers Plowman, and as central to English folklore, is the English Christmas tradition of mumming. As an adjective meaning "secret" or … means... . The earliest print reference of this exact phrase can be found in “A Walk Around London and Westminster – The Works of … mum's the word definition: 1. said when you tell someone, or agree with someone, to keep something a secret: 2. said when you…. JLC above is correct – “mum’s the word” is an idiomatic phrase in the UK, often used as an affirmation of keeping something secret (or just generally keeping silent on some matter). The use of nigger in older literature has become controversial because of the word's modern meaning as a racist insult. Online Slang Dictionary. The Meaning of Chrysanthemums. ‘Go out and have some fun, but remember, mum's the word!’ ‘But the best thing of all about all the hand-outs in this welfare state is that mum's the word, when it comes to explaining to taxpayers why you need their money.’ ‘The mystery is certainly captivating Washington, while mum's the word at the White House.’ The tradition was that the householder must invite them in to dance or play games in silence, that is, to mum or mime. to keep quiet about something; my lips are sealed.