hey vs hum

hey

intj
  • A request for repetition or explanation; an expression of confusion. 

  • Used as a tag question, to emphasise what goes before or to request that the listener express an opinion about what has been said. 

  • A meaningless beat marker or extra, filler syllable in song lyrics. 

  • An expression of surprise. 

  • An exclamation to get attention. 

  • A protest or reprimand. 

  • An informal greeting, similar to hi. 

noun
  • A choreographic figure in which three or more dancers weave between one another, passing by left and right shoulder alternately. 

hum

intj
  • Synonym of um: a noise indicating doubt, uncertainty, &c. 

  • Synonym of hmm: a noise indicating thought, consideration, &c. 

verb
  • To produce low sounds which blend continuously 

  • To express by humming. 

  • To reek, smell bad. 

  • To make a sound from the vocal chords without pronouncing any real words, with one's lips closed. 

  • To drone like certain insects naturally do in motion, or sounding similarly 

  • To buzz, be busily active like a beehive 

noun
  • Unpleasant odour. 

  • A phenomenon, or collection of phenomena, involving widespread reports of a persistent and invasive low-frequency humming, rumbling, or droning noise not audible to all people. 

  • Busy activity, like the buzz of a beehive. 

  • A hummed tune, i.e. created orally with lips closed. 

  • An often indistinct sound resembling human humming. 

How often have the words hey and hum occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )