a profusion of insects, which produced a continuous thrum2020 February 25, Christopher de Bellaigue, “The end of farming?”, in The Guardian:
Pungent sweat and heatedly trodden grass, fumes of tea and porter, thrum of hooves from the paddock, the strikings-up and dyings-down of the band all fused into an extreme for Antonia, whose own senses, boastful, stood up to it.1955, Elizabeth Bowen, chapter II, in A World of Love, London: Jonathan Cape […], →OCLC, part I, page 40:
The trailblazing Oaxacan chef Alejandro Ruiz […] has spiked this black-bean sauce with a hidden depth charge of flavor: patches of foliage from a local avocado tree. The leaves electrify the sauce with an unexpected thrum of black licorice.2014 October 25, Jeff Gordinier, “In search of the perfect taco”, in T: The New York Times Style Magazine (international edition), page 100:
thrum
verb
Etymology Imitative.
1
To cause a steady rhythmic vibration in (something), usually by plucking.
She watched as he thrummed the guitar strings absently.
2
To make a monotonous drumming noise.
to thrum on a table
They were hardly seated, and I had hardly waved good-by to Denver, before he was off, the big motor thrumming with immense birdlike power.1957 September 5, Jack Kerouac, chapter 8, in On the Road, New York, N.Y.: Viking Press, →OCLC, part 3:
1 more example
This doesn’t detract from the fun of bargaining at the variety of Hong Kong’s night markets (those who don’t like to haggle should stay away) that often thrum with shoppers till midnight. The best in town are the Ladies’ Market, for inexpensive women’s clothing, bags, and accessories, and the Temple Street Night Market, for an astonishing selection of everything from clothes and CDs to luggage and shoes—even fortune tellers—at the Yau Ma Tei end of the street.2011, Patricia Schultz, “Hong Kong”, in 1,000 Places to See Before You Die, 2nd edition, Workman Publishing, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 489, column 2:
thrum
adj
Etymology From Middle English thrum, throm (> Anglo-French trome), from Old English *þrum (found in tungeþrum (“ligament of the tongue”)) from Proto-Germanic *þrumą. Cognate with German Trumm, Trümmer and Old Norse þrǫmr (“edge, brim”), and more distantly to Latin termen.
1
Made of or woven from thrum.
In Paris, there are scarce two orders of beings more different: for the legislative and executive powers of the shop not resting in the husband, he seldom comes there:—in some dark and dismal room behind, he sits commerce-less, in his thrum nightcap, the same rough son of Nature that Nature left him.1768, Laurence Sterne, “The Husband: Paris”, in A Sentimental Journey through France and Italy:
thrum
noun
Etymology From Middle English thrum, throm (> Anglo-French trome), from Old English *þrum (found in tungeþrum (“ligament of the tongue”)) from Proto-Germanic *þrumą. Cognate with German Trumm, Trümmer and Old Norse þrǫmr (“edge, brim”), and more distantly to Latin termen.
The ends of the warp threads in a loom which remain unwoven attached to the loom when the web is cut.
The twister is given a harness filled with thrums or short ends of the old warp which has been returned from the looms. These thrums of silk are all that remain of the last warps.1899, Belding Bros. & Co, Silk Culture and Manufacturing Shown Progressively (page 43)
2
In plural A fringe made of such threads.
3
Any short piece of leftover thread or yarn; a tuft or tassel.
4
Biology, Botany, Natural sciences A threadlike part of a flower; a stamen.
5
Biology, Botany, Natural sciences A tuft, bundle, or fringe of any threadlike structures, as hairs on a leaf, fibers of a root.
6
Anatomy, Medicine, Sciences A bundle of minute blood vessels, a plexus.
7
Nautical, TransportIn plural Small pieces of rope yarn used for making mats or mops.
Etymology From Middle English thrum, throm (> Anglo-French trome), from Old English *þrum (found in tungeþrum (“ligament of the tongue”)) from Proto-Germanic *þrumą. Cognate with German Trumm, Trümmer and Old Norse þrǫmr (“edge, brim”), and more distantly to Latin termen.
1
To furnish with thrums; to insert tufts in; to fringe.
1644-1646, Francis Quarles, Boanerges and Barnabas—Wine and Oyle for […] afflicted Soules are we born to thrum caps or pick straw?
2
Nautical, Transport To insert short pieces of rope-yarn or spun yarn in.
to thrum a piece of canvas, or a mat, thus making a rough or tufted surface
thrum
noun
Etymology Apparently a reduced form of the stem of threepenny/threepence through a sequence such as /ˈθrɛp(ə)n-/ > /ˈθrʊp(ə)m-/ > /ˈθrʊm-/ (> /ˈθɹʌm-/).