buzz

name

1. A male given name, pet form of Busby

noun

Etymology: From Middle English *bussen (suggested by Middle English bussyng (“buzzing”)), of onomatopoeic origin. Cognate with Scots bizz (“to buzz”). Compare Middle English bunning (“buzzing”), Middle English hossing (“buzzing”), Middle English bissen (“to hush”).

1. A continuous humming noise, as of bees; a confused murmur, as of general conversation in low tones.

   “Immediately there was a ringing and a singing in the hills, and then a whispering and a lisping and a whiz and a buzz all about him, for the little people were now some whirling round and round in the dance, and others sporting and tumbling about in the moonshine, and playing a thousand merry pranks and tricks.”

   “In the steady buzz of flies the homeward-bound agent was lying flushed and insensible[.]”

2. A whisper.
3. The audible friction of voiced consonants.
4. A rush or feeling of energy or excitement; a feeling of slight intoxication.

   “Still feeling the buzz from the coffee, he pushed through the last of the homework.”

5. A telephone call or e-mail.

   “Now, don't waste time, give us a buzz -- quick! 825-4703 or 265-7881.”

6. Major topic of conversation; widespread rumor; information spread behind the scenes.

   “Mr. Hall? The buzz on Christian is that his parents have joint custody, so he'll be spending one semester in Chicago and one semester here.”

   “I wasn't performing with Pimp and Smoove that much no more, but I had a solo deal with Ruthless Rap and a brand new mixtape that was creating a big buzz.”

7. Synonym of fizz-buzz (“counting game”).

verb

Etymology: From Middle English *bussen (suggested by Middle English bussyng (“buzzing”)), of onomatopoeic origin. Cognate with Scots bizz (“to buzz”). Compare Middle English bunning (“buzzing”), Middle English hossing (“buzzing”), Middle English bissen (“to hush”).

1. To make a low, continuous, humming or sibilant sound, like that made by bees with their wings.

   “Ah! the singing, fatal arrow, / Like a wasp it buzzed, and stung him [a roebuck]!”

   “So that now the universe has escaped from the pin which was pushed through it, like an impaled fly vainly buzzing: now that the multiple universe flies its own complicated course quite free, and hasn't got any hub, we can hope also to escape.”

2. To make a low, continuous, humming or sibilant sound, like that made by bees with their wings.

   “However these disturbers of our peace / Buzz in the people's ears.”

3. To make a low, continuous, humming or sibilant sound, like that made by bees with their wings.

   “But I tell you this has set all London buzzing. The old man is where he likes to be, with a pin-point limelight right on his hairy old head.”

4. To make a low, continuous, humming or sibilant sound, like that made by bees with their wings.

   “A fly was buzzing past me.”

   “The flies, lethargic with the autumn, were beginning to buzz into the room.”

5. To show a high level of activity and haste, energization or excitement, to be busy as a bee in one’s actions but perhaps mentally charged.
6. To whisper; to communicate, as tales, in an undertone; to spread, as a report, by whispers or secretly.

   “I will buzz abroad such prophecies / That Edward shall be fearful of his life.”

7. To talk to incessantly or confidentially in a low humming voice.
8. To fly at high speed and at a very low altitude over (an area), as to make a surprise pass.

   “[…] an asteroid a mere 15-20 metres across exploded with the force of a medium-sized atom bomb over Chelyabinsk, in Russia, and another, much larger one buzzed Earth a few hours later.”

9. To cut (the hair) in a close-cropped military style, or buzzcut.

   “Deacon said, “You used to beg me to let you buzz your hair when you were little.” “And then I grew up and realized how awful you looked when you buzzed yours.””

10. To throw swiftly.

    “I have mentioned her deft hand with a stone — well, as soon as our backs were turned she buzzed a stone to clip Joe's ear.”

11. To drink to the bottom.

    “He buzzed the bottle with such a hearty good will as settled the fate of another, which Soapey rang for as a matter of course. There was but the rejected one, which however Spigot put into a different decanter and brought in […]”

12. To communicate with (a person) by means of a buzzer.

    “Then one day my secretary buzzed me and said Frank Sinatra was on the phone. When I picked up the phone it was the Chief who played dumb and would not admit that he said he was Frank Sinatra.”