murmurous, a.
(ˈmɜːmərəs)
[f. murmur n. + -ous.]
1. Characterized or accompanied by subdued continuous sound; abounding in or characterized by murmurs.
| 1582 Stanyhurst æneis i. (Arb.) 25 Where through nyne channels with mountayns murmerus hurring Rough the sea floas forward. 1590 Spenser F.Q. ii. xi. 32. 1659 H. More Immort. Soul iii. xvii. (1662) 219 A joynt groaning of a multitude together, mingled with a murmurous admiration. 1726 Pope Odyss. xx. 19 Round his swol'n heart the murm'rous fury rowls. 1819 Keats Ode to Nightingale v, The murmurous haunt of flies on summer eves. 1886 C. F. Woolson East Angels ix. 176 The waves..flowed softly up the beach..with a rippling murmurous sound. |
| quasi-adv. 1871 R. Ellis tr. Catullus lxiv. 263 Often a trumpeter horn blew murmurous, hoarsely resounding. |
† 2. Complaining, grumbling.
Obs.| 1592 Stow Ann. 691 This yeere many murmurous tales ranne in the citye betweene the earle of Warwike and the Queenes blood. 1702 C. Mather Magn. Chr. vi. v. (1852) 384 The judgments of God upon the murmurous Israelites. |
Hence
ˈmurmurously adv.,
ˈmurmurousness.
| 1851 Mrs. Browning Casa Guidi Wind. ii. xxii, And murmurously the ebbing waters grit The little pebbles. 1890 Chamb. Jrnl. 13 Sept. 592/2 Murmurously low Falls the sad rhythm of old Ocean's tread. 1903 Westm. Gaz. 5 Oct. 2/1 Two streams of water flow..into stone basins, lulling one with a sleepy murmurousness. |