English

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Pronunciation

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Verb

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mumming

  1. present participle and gerund of mum
  2. present participle and gerund of mumm

Noun

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mumming (countable and uncountable, plural mummings)

  1. A pantomime or dumb show.
    Synonym: mummering
    • 1831, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], Romance and Reality. [], volume II, London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, [], →OCLC, pages 280–281:
      The vassals or tenants collected in the hall for Christmas masking and mumming—the peasant gathering that May-day called out upon the green, drew together ranks whose distance, in our day, occasions forgetfulness on one side, and discontent on the other.
    • 2011, Susan Lauffer O'Hara, The Theatricality of Mary Wroth's Pamphilia to Amphilanthus:
      The court masque has its origin in medieval court mummings.