hum, n.³ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

hum n.³

[? their mumbling or ‘humming’ of prayers, hymns or responses; ? abbr. SE humble]

a member of a church congregation.

1725		New Canting Dict. n.p.: hums Persons at Church; as, There is a great Number of Hums in the Autem; i.e. There is a great Congregation.
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. [as cit. 1725].
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
a.1790		H.T. Potter New Dict. Cant (1795).
1809		G. Andrewes Dict. Sl. and Cant.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1848		Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open.
c.1850		Duncombe New and Improved Flash Dict.