hubbub
(ˈhʌbʌb)
Forms: 6 hooboube, -boobe, hoeboube, 6–7 who-, hu-, hobub, 7 whoo-bub, whoopubb, hoobub, howbub, how-bub, hub hub, 7– hubbub.
[In 16th c. hooboube, -boobe, often referred to as an Irish outcry, and prob. representing some Irish expression. Cf. Gaelic ub! ub! ubub! an interj. of aversion or contempt; abu! the war-cry of the ancient Irish.
Connexion with hoop, whoop, has been suggested by Richardson; but this was app. only a later association.]
1. A confused noise of a multitude shouting or yelling; esp. the confused shouting of a battle-cry or ‘hue and cry’ by wild or savage races.
With Irish hubbub cf. hubbuboo. The Welsh hubbub seems to have been (see quot. 1645) a ‘hue and cry’ only.
| 1555 W. Watreman Fardle Facions i. vi. 103 Thei [Ichthiophagi of Afrike] flocke together to go drincke..shouting as they go with an yrishe whobub. 1581 J. Bell Haddon's Answ. Osor. 326 b, Mightier is the force of the Veritie..then that it can be dasht out of countenaunce with Irishe hooboobbes. 1586 J. Hooker Girald. Irel. in Holinshed II. 156 According to the custome of the countrie, the hobub or the hue and crie was raised. 1590 Spenser F.Q. iii. x. 43 They heard a noyse of many bagpipes shrill, And shrieking hububs them approaching nere. 1600 W. Watson Decachordon ix. viii. (1602) 327 With hallowes and howbubs, with whowbes, whowes, and outcries against all. 1611 Shakes. Wint. T. iv. iv. 629 Had not the old-man come in with a Whoo-bub against his Daughter. 1612 T. James Jesuits Downf. 53 Hissed out the College with whouts and hobubs. c 1613 Spelman Relat. Virginia 24 in Capt. J. Smith's Wks. (Arb.) p. cv, A great number Indians..began with an oulis and whoopubb. 1622 R. Hawkins Voy. S. Sea xxvii. 58 Wee..gaue them the Hubbub, after the manner of the Indians, and assaulted them. 1645 Mercurius Civicus 28 Aug., Whereupon an hubbub is raised, and 5000 together by the next morning [in Glamorganshire]. 1667 Milton P.L. ii. 951 A universal hubbub wilde Of stunning sounds and voices all confus'd. 1680 Life Edw. II in Harl. Misc. I. 87 The bruit of this novelty, like a Welch hubbub, had quickly overtaken the willing ears of the displeased Commons. 1871 L. Stephen Playgr. Europe i. (1894) 19 There issued..a confused hubbub as of human voices. |
b. In milder sense: The mingled din of a crowd, or of a multitude of speakers heard at once.
| 1779 F. Burney Diary Jan., I felt myself already in Drury Lane [Theatre], amidst the hubbub of a first night. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. ix. II. 415 Its Exchange resounding with the endless hubbub of all the languages spoken by civilised men. 1878 Seeley Stein II. 451 The hubbub, so new in Prussia, of Parliamentary discussion. |
2. Noisy turmoil; confusion, disturbance; an instance of this; a tumultuous assembly or demonstration; a riot, ‘row’.
| 1619 Fletcher M. Thomas iv. ii, All the chambermaids in such a whobub. 1659 D. Pell Impr. Sea 181 note, Diogenes..in his Tub, tumbled it up and down..when the greatest, and best of Citizens were in an Hubbub and in Arms. 1682 Bunyan Holy War iii, They asked the reason of the hubbub and tumult. 1836 W. Irving Astoria II. 14 A sudden uproar and hubbub ensued that defies description. 1874 M. E. Braddon Taken at Flood i. 15 The place will be in a fine hubbub, I suppose. |
3. A name given by the New England colonists to a noisy game of the Indians.
It was played with a platter and five small bones, with loud cries of hub, hub, hub. See N. & Q. Ser. 7, III. 472.
| 1634 Wood New Eng. Prosp. II. xiv. 85. 1760 T. Hutchinson Hist. Mass. Bay v. (ed. 2) 470 Another game they called hubbub, the same the French called jeu de plat, the game of the dish among the Hurons. |
4. attrib. and Comb.
| 1646 New Letanie (B. M.), From Irish Rebells, and Welsh hubbub-men, From Independents and their Tubmen. 1868 Browning Ring & Bk. xi. 1193 There follows noise enough: from hubbub mouths. |
Hence hubbub v., hubbubish a. nonce-wds.
| 1812 H. & J. Smith Rej. Addr., Rebuilding, Better remain by rubbish guarded, Than thus hubbubish groan placarded. 1831 Blackw. Mag. XXX. 881 Huddled and hubbubbed into one chaotic sentence. |