Dictionary monolingual
English

Mum

məm
Extremely common
600 - 700
600 - 700
The word frequency and importance index indicates how often a word appears in a given language. The smaller the number, the more frequently the word is used. The most frequently used words typically range from about 1 to 4000. This importance index helps you focus on the most useful words during your language learning process.

Mum -

Mother

Example: My mum is coming to visit this weekend.
Usage: informalContext: family conversations, casual settings
Note: Commonly used in British English, informal abbreviation of 'mother'

Silent, quiet

Example: She sat there mum, not saying a word.
Usage: formalContext: literary or formal writing
Note: Can also be spelled as 'mum' or 'mum'

A sound made with closed lips to indicate keeping quiet

Example: The teacher asked for silence, so everyone went 'mum'.
Usage: informalContext: informal conversations, children's language
Note: Used to indicate or request silence in a playful way

Mum's synonyms

silent

Silent means not making or accompanied by any sound.
Example: She remained silent throughout the meeting.
Note: Silent implies a lack of noise or sound, while 'mum' specifically refers to a person who is not speaking or keeping quiet.

quiet

Quiet means making very little noise or sound.
Example: Please be quiet during the exam.
Note: Quiet can refer to a general state of low noise, while 'mum' specifically refers to someone being silent or not speaking.

hush

Hush means to make someone or something quiet or stop making noise.
Example: The teacher hushed the noisy students in the classroom.
Note: Hush is a verb that can be used to quieten someone or something, while 'mum' is a noun referring to silence.

Mum expressions, common phrases

mum's the word

This phrase means to keep silent or keep information confidential.
Example: When asked about the surprise party, Sarah said, 'Mum's the word.'
Note: The phrase 'mum's the word' uses 'mum' in a figurative sense to mean 'keep quiet,' rather than referring to one's mother.

keep mum

This phrase means to remain silent or not speak about something.
Example: She decided to keep mum about the incident to avoid unnecessary drama.
Note: Similar to 'mum's the word,' 'keep mum' also implies keeping information to oneself.

Mum everyday (slang) expressions

mum

Used to describe someone who is silent or not revealing information.
Example: She kept mum about the surprise party.
Note: Same meaning as 'keep mum' or 'mum's the word', but in a concise form.

mum's the term

A play on the idiom 'mum's the word' to mean someone has revealed a secret.
Example: I can't believe he let the cat out of the bag about the promotion.
Note: Combining two phrases 'mum's the word' and 'cat's out of the bag' for a creative expression.

Mum - Examples

My mum is the best cook in the world.
I miss my mum so much.
Mum, can you help me with my homework?

Mum grammar

Mum - Noun (Noun) / Noun, singular or mass (Noun, singular or mass)
Lemma: mum
Conjugations
Adjective (Adjective): mum
Noun, plural (Noun, plural): mums
Noun, singular or mass (Noun, singular or mass): mum
Syllables, Separation and Stress
mum Contains 1 syllables: mum
Phonetic transcription: ˈməm
mum , ˈməm (The red syllable is stressed)

Mum - Importance and usage frequency

The word frequency and importance index indicates how often a word appears in a given language. The smaller the number, the more frequently the word is used. The most frequently used words typically range from about 1 to 4000.
mum: 600 - 700 (Extremely common).
This importance index helps you focus on the most useful words during your language learning process.
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