Quirm

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. A soft, unbroken murmur or hum of many voices or sounds ; a dense swarm of insects or a crowd of people moving together ; to make a low, steady humming or murmuring noise
2. The faint, continuous buzz of a crowd or insects heard from a distance ; a teeming cluster of insects or a throng of people gathered together ; to produce a soft droning or muttering sound over and over
3. A low, ceaseless drone or murmur produced by many sources at once ; a dense mass of insects or a packed throng of people ; to hum or mutter steadily in a low voice or tone

Etymology: The word's sense is clearest in its dialect use. In Scots and northern English, "quirm" describes a low, continuous murmur or hum, the kind made by a crowd, a swarm of bees, or a distant engine. Dictionaries of these regional forms record it as both a noun and a verb, so a noise could be described as "quirming" as easily as it could be called a quirm. Its ultimate origin is uncertain. Its best-known modern appearance is probably in Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels, where Quirm is an invented city, though that name draws on the dialect word rather than being its origin.