Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. to trick, to hoax, to humbug; thus humming adj., teasing, hoaxing, fooling.

c.1680		E. Hickeringill Postcript in Works (1709) I 195: That [...] endeavour at Wit, Pun or Quibble, so much admir’d by the Humming-Tribe.
1751		Student II 288: How were people of learning and good understanding hum’d out of their money and judgment .
1756		W. Toldervy Hist. of the Two Orphans I 46: Damn the fellow, returned the ’squire, had it not been for him [...] I should have humm’d you finely.
1762		O. Goldsmith Life of Richard Nash in Works (1966) III 360: Here Nash, if I may be permitted the use of a polite and fashionable phrase, was humm’d.
1772		Bridges Burlesque Homer (3rd edn) 397: Such lies as from his tongue were sent / To hum the British P-----; / And hum he did that nest of tools [sic], / Tho’ they all look’d as wise as owls.
c.1778		H. Brooke ‘On Humbugging’ in Chalmers Eng. Poets XVII (1810) 428/1: But, what are all hummers, their tricks and their arts, To yon roguish round, the humbuggers of hearts [...] For beauty, by ancient tradition, we find, Has delightfully humm’d the whole race of mankind.
1781		Hicky’s Bengal Gaz. 2-9 June n.p.: [They] inserted a protest [...] for being Humn’out of a good Dinner.
1788		G.A. Stevens Adventures of a Speculist I 25: To be humm’d, and to hum, are our losses and gains; / When bit we complain, but when biting we’re mum.
1788		J. O’Keeffe Farmer 52: You old humming Cantoo Baboo.
1796		T. Morton Way to Get Married in Inchbold (1808) XXV 55: Faulkner has hummed you out of that sum.
1800		‘Abraham Newland’ Jovial Songster 70: The French say they’re coming, but sure they are humming.
1811		J. Poole Hamlet Travestie III ii: I’ll twig ye all for’t—I’ll not stand your humming.
1825		C.M. Westmacott Eng. Spy I v: Swarms of literary blow flies will [...] endeavour to hum their readers into a belief of the profundity of their critic erudition.
1836		W.H. Smith ‘The Thieves’s Chaunt’ in Farmer Musa Pedestris (1896) 121: She’s wide-awake, and her prating cheat, / For humming a cove was never beat.
a.1840		Mme D’Arblay Diary (1842) II 153: I don’t mean to cajole you hither with the expectation of amusement or entertainment; you and I know better than to hum or be hummed in that manner.
1848		Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open.
1856		W. Elliott Carolina Sports 122: I hummed him, my stripping was all a feint [F&H].
1891		Punch 25 Apr. 195: The ‘Coming Dress?’—that’s all sheer humming.

2. to copulate with.

1672

J. Phillips Maronides (1678) VI 84: I loud snoaring like a Pigg, / Weary with humming her black guigg.

3. (Aus., also humm) to scrounge, to borrow with no intention of giving back.

1910		Bulletin (Sydney) 24 Nov. 11/3: There’s a ‘crook’ crowd comes up every year to do nothing but hang around the pubs, ‘hum’ beer, and go through drunks.
1918		Aussie (France) VII Sept. 4/2: Don’t shout cigarettes, hum them.
1924		(con. WWI) A.G. Pretty Gloss. of Sl. [...] in the A.I.F. 1921–1924 (rev. t/s) n.p.: humm. To cadge.
1938		X. Herbert Capricornia (1939) 234: Gertch — you old blowbag! You’re only humming for a drink. Nick off home.
1996		J. Byrell Lairs, Urgers & Coat-Tuggers 319: [A]ll the turf desperates and various relaxing wallopers and pollies and [...] suchlike used to go late at night [...] to hum a few quids from the magnanimous big dealer.