noise

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   incomprehensibility resulting from irrelevant information or meaningless facts or remarks

   All the noise in their speech concealed the fact that they didn't have anything to say.

2. 2
   noun

   a loud outcry of protest or complaint

   the announcement of the election recount caused a lot of noise

3. 3
   noun

   sound of any kind, especially unintelligible or dissonant sound

   I enjoyed the street noises.

4. 4
   noun

   Various sounds, usually unwanted or unpleasant.

   He knew that it was trash day, when the garbage collectors made all the noise.

5. 5
   noun

   Any sound.

   The sudden noise made everyone jump.

6. 6
   noun

   Any part of a signal or data that reduces the clarity, precision, or quality of the desired output.

   signal-to-noise ratio

7. 7
   noun

   Unwanted fuss or bustle; useless activity.

   In order to provide coherence and confidence, the leader must dramatically turn down the noise level in the organization, eliminate any unnecessary distractions that inevitably get in the way of execution, and banish the fear of uncertainty.

8. 8
   noun

   Rumour or complaint.

   The problems with the new computer system are causing a lot of noise at Head Office.

Etymology

From Middle English noyse, noise, from Old French noise (“a dispute, wrangle, strife, noise”), of uncertain origin. According to some, from Latin nausia, nausea (“disgust, nausea”); according to others, from Latin noxia (“hurt, harm, damage, injury”); but neither explanation is satisfactory in regard to either form or sense. Potentially a reduced form of Old French enoiier (“to bother, to disturb”), from Latin inodio (“to make repulsive”) - which would make it a doublet of English annoy (“to bother, to irritate”) and English ennui (“boredom, jadedness, depression”). Compare Piedmontese nojé (“…