A rough humming sound.
A uvular "r" sound, or (by extension) an accent characterized by this sound.
And when his body was against the burr of the spear, he took his sword in both his hands and he swung the sword above his head, and he smote King Arthur with the edge of the sword upon the helmet.
A thin flat piece of metal, formed from a sheet by punching; a small washer put on the end of a rivet before it is swaged down.
Many saddles, especially those for use on warhorses, had high burr plates and cantles. this was especially important when knights began using stirrups and the couched lance.
1819, Abraham Rees, The Cyclopaedia
A metal ring at the top of the hand-rest on a spear.
2015, James B. Tschen-Emmons, Artifacts from Medieval Europe, page 280
A burr knot or burl.
A sharp, pointy object, such as a sliver or splinter.
1724, John Guillim, A Display of Heraldry
A revolving disk or cone with abrasive surfaces used to grind hard products in a grinder or mill.
We are made to witness a cathartic shuffling-off of mortalities and of hatreds: Mordred's pulling himself up to the 'burr' of Arthur's spear is Malory's own detail and one of the most memorable in the book.
A bur; a seed pod with sharp features that stick in fur or clothing.
A broad iron ring on a tilting lance just below the grip, to prevent the hand from slipping.
The ear lobe.
A small piece of material left on an edge after a cutting operation.
The knot at the bottom of an antler.
The front of it was defended by an iron-plate, called a vam-plat, that is, an avant-plate, and behind it was a broad iron ring, called a burr.
burr or ring of iron behind the hand
2003, Thomas Howard Crofts, Fifteenth-century Malory, page 290
2012, Howard Pyle, The Story of the Grail and the Passing of Arthur
To pronounce with a uvular "r".
To make a rough humming sound.
An often indistinct sound resembling human humming.
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.
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
Synonym of um: a noise indicating doubt, uncertainty, &c.
Synonym of hmm: a noise indicating thought, consideration, &c.