buzz

Etymology

From Middle English *bussen, of onomatopoeic origin. Compare Middle English bunning (“buzzing”), Middle English hossing (“buzzing”), Middle English bissen (“to hush”).

noun

1. A continuous humming noise, as of bees; a confused murmur, as of general conversation in low tones.
2. A whisper.
3. The audible friction of voiced consonants.
4. (informal) A rush or feeling of energy or excitement; a feeling of slight intoxication.
   Still feeling the buzz from the coffee, he pushed through the last of the homework.
5. (informal) A telephone call or e-mail.
6. (informal) Major topic of conversation; widespread rumor; information spread behind the scenes.
   Mr. Hall? The buzz on Christian is that his parents have joint custody, so he'll be spending one semester in Chicago and one semester here. 1995, Amy Heckerling, Clueless, spoken by Cher (Alicia Silverstone)
   In Detroit, the buzz is that he's too nice a guy, unwilling to impose draconian job cuts at the risk of angering the UAW. Sept 6 2006, Daren Fonda, “Ford Motor's New Chief: "I Think It's a Tough Situation"”, in Time
   Allen Gregory DeLongpre: Who's he? Patrick: He's only the most popular kid in school. Allen Gregory: Ah, the two heavyweights finally meet. Sure you're tired of all the buzz. Allen Gregory DeLongpre. 2011 Allen Gregory, "Pilot" (season 1, episode 1)
7. (uncountable) Synonym of fizz-buzz (“counting game”)

verb

1. (intransitive) To make a low, continuous, humming or sibilant sound, like that made by bees with their wings.
   1. (by extension) To utter a murmuring sound; to speak with a low, humming voice.
   2. Of a group of people, to talk about some interesting topic excitedly.
   3. (chiefly of an insect) To fly while making such a sound.
      A fly was buzzing past me.
2. (colloquial) To show a high level of activity and haste, energization or excitement, to be busy as a bee in one’s actions but perhaps mentally charged.
3. (transitive) To whisper; to communicate, as tales, in an undertone; to spread, as a report, by whispers or secretly.
4. (transitive) To talk to incessantly or confidentially in a low humming voice.
5. (aviation) To fly at high speed and at a very low altitude over a specified area, as to make a surprise pass.
   […] an asteroid a mere 15-20 metres across exploded with the force of a medium-sized atom bomb over Chelyabinsk, in Russia, and another, much larger one buzzed Earth a few hours later. 2013, The Economist, Stopping asteroid strikes: Defenders of the Earth
6. (transitive) To cut the hair in a close-cropped military style, or buzzcut.
   Deacon said, “You used to beg me to let you buzz your hair when you were little.” “And then I grew up and realized how awful you looked when you buzzed yours.” 2012, Ellen Hartman, Out of Bounds, page 130
7. (archaic, transitive) To drink to the bottom.
   He buzzed the bottle with such a hearty good will as settled the fate of another, which Soapey rang for as a matter of course. There was but the rejected one, which however Spigot put into a different decanter and brought in […] 1849, The New Monthly Magazine and Universal Register
8. (transitive) To communicate with (a person) by means of a buzzer.
   Then one day my secretary buzzed me and said Frank Sinatra was on the phone. When I picked up the phone it was the Chief who played dumb and would not admit that he said he was Frank Sinatra. 2012, Steven Joseph Sinopoli, The Seventh House, page 66