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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1960 (SND Vol. V). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

HUM, v.¹, n.¹ Also ham (Ork. 1887 Jam.), haum, haam; and freq. forms hum(m)le, hummel.

I. v. 1. To chew partially, to masticate, used esp. to describe the practice of chewing a child's food until soft and transferring it to the infant's mouth (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 277, hummel; Lnk. 1825 Jam.; Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.; Cai. 1902 E.D.D.; Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.; Uls. 1953 Traynor, hum, ham; Ork. (ham), Cai., Kcb., Dmf. 1957). Vbl.n. in pl. hummings, chewed fragments such as those left by rodents (Dmf. 1894 Trans. Dmf. & Gall. Antiq. Soc. 150). Also in n.Eng. and Ir. dials.Ork. 1915 Old-Lore Misc. VIII. i. 41:
Ise wirran dere waas no ony chimpan or tarooan i dere minds dan, bit A'm seur dey hed a sair wark humlin id ower.Ork. 1929 Marw.:
An old toothless man with a biscuit — “I kunno chew it right, but I'll just hummle it”.

2. To eat greedily, to take large mouthfuls, freq. with amo' or intae (Bnff., Abd. 1957, ham), gen. with the notion of crunching.Abd.¹³ 1910:
“Ye're aye haumin amo' the sugar.” Said of a greedy person.Abd. 1924 Swatches o' Hamespun 69:
Geordie . . . kissed Bawbie Joss, or “hummed sweeties,” with Meenie Edimsin.Abd. 1956 People's Jnl. (22 Sept.):
I saw a wee nickum o' a loon ham'in intae a muckle neep. Abd. 1993:
Jist haamin intil im.

II. n. A piece of food so chewed and given to a child (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 278; Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.; Ork. 1929 Marw., ham; Uls. 1953 Traynor, hum, ham; Cai., Dmf. 1957). Also dim. humlock (Kcb.⁴ 1900).