noise
♦ noise /n'ɔɪz/ (noises)
1 [N-UNCOUNT]
Noise is a loud or unpleasant sound.
There was too much noise in the room and he needed peace...
The noise of bombs and guns was incessant...
The baby was filled with alarm at the darkness and the noise.
2 [N-COUNT]
A noise is a sound that someone or something makes.
Sir Gerald made a small noise in his throat.
...birdsong and other animal noises...
3 [N-PLURAL] usu with supp
If someone makes noises of a particular kind about something, they say things that indicate their attitude to it in a rather indirect or vague way.
The President took care to make encouraging noises about the future...
His mother had also started making noises about it being time for him to leave home.
4 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you say that someone makes the right noises or makes all the right noises, you think that they are showing concern or enthusiasm about something because they feel they ought to rather than because they really want to.
He was making all the right noises about multi-party democracy and human rights.
5
see also big noisebig noise (big noises)
[N-COUNT]
Someone who is a big noise has an important position in a group or organization. (BRIT INFORMAL)
= big shotwhite noise
[N-UNCOUNT]
White noise is sound, especially of a loud, continuous, or unpleasant kind, that seems to have no pattern or rhythm.
They were made to listen to white noise, such as static of the sort you might pick up between radio stations.
1 [N-UNCOUNT]
Noise is a loud or unpleasant sound.
There was too much noise in the room and he needed peace...
The noise of bombs and guns was incessant...
The baby was filled with alarm at the darkness and the noise.
2 [N-COUNT]
A noise is a sound that someone or something makes.
Sir Gerald made a small noise in his throat.
...birdsong and other animal noises...
3 [N-PLURAL] usu with supp
If someone makes noises of a particular kind about something, they say things that indicate their attitude to it in a rather indirect or vague way.
The President took care to make encouraging noises about the future...
His mother had also started making noises about it being time for him to leave home.
4 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you say that someone makes the right noises or makes all the right noises, you think that they are showing concern or enthusiasm about something because they feel they ought to rather than because they really want to.
He was making all the right noises about multi-party democracy and human rights.
5
see also big noisebig noise (big noises)
[N-COUNT]
Someone who is a big noise has an important position in a group or organization. (BRIT INFORMAL)
= big shotwhite noise
[N-UNCOUNT]
White noise is sound, especially of a loud, continuous, or unpleasant kind, that seems to have no pattern or rhythm.
They were made to listen to white noise, such as static of the sort you might pick up between radio stations.