hnnn.

n.  humming; the sound of singing to oneself.

<I could hear her singing to herself in the kitchen.  She had a monotonous, rather grating voice, which rose and fell at intervals.  “Add the raw unsoaked millet—hnn hnnn—and turn off the heat.  Leave covered for—hnnn hnnn—ten minutes without stirring or—hnnnn—until the juices have been absorbed.  —Joanne Harris, Five Quarters of the Orange.>

n.  the soft sound of a voice fading away as the speaker is overcome by memory.

<“Open ... sores.  Skin on fire.  Hnnn.”  His voice trailed away, hardly-there air over barely moving mouth, and still he kept talking.  —Glen Hirshberg, The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror, Vol. 15.>

n.  the sound of a stifled scream of pain.

<“Yes… he… hnnn!”  Julia gritted her teeth to prevent the scream escaping.  —Mark E. Cooper, The Warrior Within: Devan Chronicles Part III.> <“Hnnn!” the soldier clenched his teeth as the guards helped him to his feet and threw his arms over their shoulders.  —Greg Howell, Godsend.>

hnnng.

interj.  an expression of discontent.

<“Hnnng!”  Cunyuan was sounding bitter, disgruntled.  “Hnnng what?  Have I done any less for you?” our niang asked him.  —Cunxin Li, Mao’s Last Dancer.>

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