Vrooming

Part of speech: verb, noun

Definitions

1. A sound mimicking the noise of a powerful engine, often associated with acceleration or rapid movement
2. An expression of enthusiasm or excitement, reminiscent of the energy of a racing vehicle
3. A playful term for the noise made by cars or motorcycles, often used in casual contexts to denote speed or power

Etymology: "Vrooming" is the present participle and gerund of "vroom," a word that imitates the sound of a revving engine. Its form tells you what kind of sound it is: a rumbling, deep throb rather than a sharp crack or whine. Like many words built to copy a noise, it arrived from the sound itself rather than from an older root that already had a meaning. Because "vroom" is onomatopoeic, its spelling reflects an attempt to write a sound that English had no ready letters for, which is why it has a leading "v" and an "oo" vowel that stretches out the rumble. The same kind of sound-making sits behind "zoom" and "broom" in the sense of a quick, roaring movement, though those words developed their own histories.

Synonyms: revving, roaring, zooming, speeding, racing

Antonyms: idling, stalling, stopping