Forms: 6–7 busse, buzze, 6– buz, 7– buzz, Sc. bizz. [From the sound.]
1. intr. To make the humming sibilant sound characteristic of bees and other insects; to fly out, in, etc. with such a sound.
1398. [see BUZZING vbl. sb.1].
1530. Palsgr., 473/1. Harke how this fleshe flye busseth.
1556. J. Heywood, Spider & F., lvii. 241. As if ten milions of flies had ben buzzing.
1604. T. Wright, Passions, VI. 334. Winds do buzze about it.
1613. Shaks., Hen. VIII., III. ii. 55. Waspes that buz about his Nose.
1709. Swift, Tritical Ess., Wks. 1755, II. I. 142. Flies … buz … about the candle, till they burn their wings.
1790. Burns, Tam O’Shanter. As bees bizz out wi’ angry fyke.
1820. W. Irving, Sketch Book, II. 280. A fly cannot buzz … without startling his repose.
1833. M. Scott, Tom Cringle, xviii. The water was buzzing under our bows.
1879. Jefferies, Wild Life in S. Co., 202. If a humble-bee buzzes in at the window.
2. fig. To flutter or hover (about, over) like a buzzing insect; to move about busily.
1650. T. Goodwin, Wks. (1862), IV. 200. Terrors of conscience would buz about a man.
1696. View Crt. St. Germain, in Select. fr. Harl. Misc. (1793), 556. The priest was always buzzing about him.
1710–1. Swift, Lett. (1767), III. 81. Boys and wenches buzzing about the cake-shops like flies.
1712. Addison, Spect., No. 439, ¶ 2. Those voluntary Informers that are buzzing about the Ears of a great Man.
1748. Richardson, Clarissa (1811), I. xvii. 122. While this man … buzzes about you.
3. To speak indistinctly, mutter, murmur busily. (Usually somewhat contemptuous.) arch.
1555. Fardle Facions, I. vi. 93. They … sieme rather to busse or churre betwene the tiethe then to speake.
1586. Ferne, Blaz. Gentrie, 22. Bussing like a preacher.
1588. Shaks., Tit. A., IV. iv. 7. How euer these disturbers of our peace Buz in the peoples eares.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett. (1650), II. The Vote. My Muse … Did softly buz…. Then let me somthing bring, [etc.].
1886. Tinsley’s Mag., Sept., 227. [He] sat by my side and buzzed in my ear.
b. To make the indistinct murmuring sound or ‘hum’ produced by a large number of people talking; to talk busily. (Also said of the place in which such talking is going on.)
1832. L. Hunt, Sir R. Esher (1850), 98. The court buzzed like gnats in the sunshine.
1855. Browning, Old Pict, in Flor., vii. The Michaels and Rafaels, you hum and buzz Round the works of.
1879. Farrar, St. Paul (1883), 385. The Agora buzzed with inquiring chatter.
c. Said of the sound or words so uttered.
1848. Lytton, Harold, III. iii. A murmur buzzed through the hall.
1879. Dixon, Windsor, II. viii. 85. A whisper buzzed about the Castle that an ugly deed was likely to be done.
4. trans. To tell in a low murmur or whisper, to communicate privately and busily. (Occas. with noun-sentence as obj., introduced by that.) arch.
1583. Stubbes, Anat. Abus. (1877), 36. Having buzzed his venemous suggestions into their eares.
1609. Sir G. Paule, Abp. Whitgift, 9. Buzzing these conceipts into the heads of diuers young preachers.
1625. Fletcher, Noble Gent., I. i. To undermine me And buz love into me.
1748. Richardson, Clarissa, I. xxxvi. 242. My brother continually buzzing in my father’s ears that my cousin would soon arrive.
1879. Farrar, St. Paul (1883), 278. Buzzing their envenomed slanders into the ears of these country people.
5. To spread as a rumor, with whispering or busy talk.
1616. Purchas, Pilgr., Descr. India (1864), 30. Buzzing the neerenesse and Greatnesse of the Kings power.
1639. Fuller, Holy War, IV. xx. (1840), 216. A bruit constantly buzzed.
1723. Steele, Consc. Lovers, I. i. I soon heard it buzz’d about, she was the daughter of a famous Sea-Officer.
1752. Fielding, Amelia, II. iii. Our amour had already been buzzed all over the town.
1859. J. Lang, Wand. India, 403. It was very soon ‘buzzed about’ who was the artist.
1863. Geo. Eliot, Romola, I. xvi. (1880), I. 234. Stories … beginning to be buzzed about.
6. To utter with buzzing; to express by buzzing.
1763. Brit. Mag., IV. 548. All … buz the same insipid strain.
1854. Thackeray, Newcomes, I. 9. The professional gentlemen hummed and buzzed a sincere applause.
1855. Longf., Hiaw., xvii. 8. He buzzed and muttered words of anger.
1863. Mrs. Oliphant, Salem Chapel, 107. The deacons buzzed approbation.
† 7. With person as obj.: To whisper to, suggest to, tell privately; to incite by suggestions. Obs.
1637. Bastwick, Litany, II. 27. They all buzze Nobles and Princes in the eare, that [etc.].
1665. Surv. Aff. Netherl., 162. The nicities of Priviledges and Liberty … shall buzze the people … to Mutinies.
1692. Wagstaffe, Vind. Carol., xii. 83. They … buzze the people, that it was done with the Kings Privity.
8. Other trans. uses. rare.
a. To assail, din or molest by buzzing.
1679. Dryden, Tr. & Cr., I. i. Having his Ears buzz’d with his noisy Fame.
1683. J. Barnard, Life Heylyn, 30. That swarm like Gnats and Flyes to buz the Head.
1884. A. A. Putnam, Ten Yrs. Police Judge, xiii. 155. He has … been badgered, buzzed, and besieged.
b. To move with buzzing; to cause to buzz.
1820. Keats, Lamia, II. 13. Love … Hover’d and buzz’d his wings.
1865. G. Meredith, Farina, 74. The stranger buzzed his moustache in a pause of cool pity.
