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murmuˈration
Forms: 4–6 murmuracion, 5 mormeracyone, murmeracion, 5–6 murmuracyon, 6 Sc. murmuratioun, 5– murmuration.
[a. F. murmuration (= Pr. murmuratio, Sp. mur-, mormuracion, Pg. murmuração, It. mormorazione), a. L. murmurātiōn-em, n. of action from murmurāre to murmur.]
1. The action of murmuring; utterance of low continuous sounds; complaining, grumbling; complaint. Also with a and in pl.
c1386Chaucer Pars. T. ⁋425 After bakbityng cometh gruchchyng or Murmuracion, and somtyme it spryngeth of Inpacience agayns god, and somtyme agayns man. c1400Mandeville (Roxb.) viii. 29 Þai made murmuracion agaynes him by cause of thrist. 1536Cranmer in Burnet Hist. Ref. (1829) I. 403 If he find in your most noble heart..that your grace, without murmuration and overmuch heaviness, do accept all adversities [etc.]. 1541Paynel Catiline vii. 11 Cicero rose vp and ryght sharpely rebuked Q. Mutius:..with many and fauourable murmurations of the hole senate therunto. 1641R. B. K. Parallel Liturgy w. Mass-bk. 44 The reformed Church counts the secret murmuration of their Canon and words of consecration a very vile..practice. a1653Binning Serm. (1845) 205 The murmurations of the people in the wilderness. 1687Sir J. Lauder (of Fountainhall) Hist. Notices Sc. Affairs (1848) 775 They most not stand near the witnesses when they depone, nor interrupt them by murmurations or susurrings. 1908Westm. Gaz. 5 Aug. 2/1 The plaints and murmurations of these Randlords for the grievances which they clamoured to have redressed.
¶2. A term for a flock (of starlings).
One of many alleged group terms cited in the first source: revived and popularized in the 20th c.
c1470in Hors Shepe & G. etc. (Caxton 1479, Roxb. repr.) 30 A murmeracion of stares. 1932Auden in New Statesman 16 July 69/1 Patterns a murmuration of starlings Rising in joy over wolds unwittingly weave. 1938Times 6 Jan. 15/5 Great murmurations of starlings are often represented as a peculiar phenomenon of our own times. 1946M. Peake Titus Groan 306 The clearing ended where a derelict stone building..held back a grove of leafless elms, where a murmuration of starlings was gathered. 1966Sunday Mail Mag. (Brisbane) 6 Mar. 6/4 Starlings when they're on the wing have to labor under the collective title of murmuration. |
