A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Mum(m)il(l, v. Also: mummyll, mumell, mumle; mumbill, mumble. [ME. momele(n to bite or chew with or as with toothless gums (c 1325), to mutter (Piers Plowm. A), e.m.E. mumble (1530), an onomatopoeic formation with frequentative suffix: cf. Du. mommelen, mummelen, Germ. mummeln, etc.] tr. To utter quietly and indistinctly, to mutter, mumble.
Also const. over and out.Freq. applied contemptuously by Reformers to the saying in this manner of Catholic prayers or services.(1) c1540 Lynd. Kitteis Conf. 43.
Mekle Latyne he did mummill, I hard na thing but hummill bummill 1540 Id. Sat. 2933. c1552 Id. Mon. 617. 1559 Knox VI. 13.
That Mr Parson and Mr Vicar shall cause his chaplane mummill the communion 1567 G. Ball. 174.
Sum mumlit aueis, sum craknit creidis Ib. 201, 209. 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I. 159.
And mumlit sum of thy devilische prayeris c1610 Melville Mem. 31.
And reft the chalice out of the prestis handis when he was mumlen his mess 1623 Crim. Trials II. 537.
Scho com in to the bed … mumbling sum wordis; he knew nocht quhat they war(2) 1546 Lynd. Trag. Card. 385.
And mummyll ouer ane pair of maglit matenis 1701 Fugitive Poetry II. xlvi. 3/71.
And 'gainst his country mumells out long speeches
b. intr., const. on or upon, = to pore over (something being studied), at the same time mumbling or muttering to oneself, to mumble or mutter over. —1600-1610 Melvill 32.
[Bishop of Moray] whom I saw a haill wintar mumling on his pretching af his peapers everie day at our morning prayers c1630 Scot Narr. 29.
He was a whole winter mumling upon his papers and yet was not prompt in the delivery of his sermon
