An irritating noise made by a fly, mosquito, computer or techno soung.

Also, for an extra-terrestrial to cruise by Earth, land near some poor sod who nobody is ever going to believe, wear goofy antennae and make "Beep beep" sounds.

Rather childish, really, though they do come in handy for intergalactic hitchhikers.

Also a small background presence, not in the front of your mind but distinctly there, slightly distracting.

I have it on a very good authority that "buzz" can also mean getting blown out of your mind on alcoholic substances, as in "You idiot, you bought Sharps beer. We cant catch a buzz on non alcoholic beer... =( "

A good verbal game to hone your math skills and blow your mind.

1. All players agree on a one-digit number. This is usually something from 3 to 8.
2. One player starts at one.
3. In sequence, each player names the next number.
4. If the number to be named is either
   • A multiple of the chosen number
   • A number that contains the chosen number in its notation
   That player says 'buzz' instead of the given number.
5. If a player fails to say 'buzz', or says 'buzz' inappropriately, they drop out. If a player hesitates too long, they drop out. Whenever a player drops out, the game restarts.
6. The last man standing wins.

Example

the number is '4'

1. 1
2. 2
3. 3
4. buzz
5. 5
6. 6
7. 7
8. buzz
9. 9
10. 10
11. 11
12. buzz
13. 13
14. buzz
15. 15
16. buzz
17. ...

It's usually very difficult to keep track of both what your number relates to the given number, and whether it is a multiple or not. The best strategy is to think ahead to the number you need to say as the other players are struggling with their own numbers. This usually gets hairy when you enter the range of 10*(chosen number), and you have to keep track of the unspoken numbers through a hail of buzzes.

An incredibly nifty realtime music composition program, written by crazy people from Finland. It runs on Windows, sadly, and was somewhat forward looking.

What makes Buzz more powerful than its bretheren is that is is a framework for connecting so called 'Machines' together, which can be written by third party developers. The Machines are capable of creating note information, like a sequencer, or or creating waveforms, or additionally filtering the noise in a variety of ways.

All these machines are tweakable, as part of the program that you create for buzz. Many Buzz songs are composed in a tracker-like interface, but this is not required, you could of course write your own input machine.

starting to get it?

An extremely short haircut often associated with military training.

"Buzz cut" is also a term used by a radio DJ referring to a track of music which has received a lot of hype.

busy-wait = B = buzzword-compliant

buzz vi.

1. Of a program, to run with no indication of progress and perhaps without guarantee of ever finishing; esp. said of programs thought to be executing tight loops of code. A program that is buzzing appears to be catatonic, but never gets out of catatonia, while a buzzing loop may eventually end of its own accord. "The program buzzes for about 10 seconds trying to sort all the names into order." See spin; see also grovel. 2. [ETA Systems] To test a wire or printed circuit trace for continuity, esp. by applying an AC rather than DC signal. Some wire faults will pass DC tests but fail an AC buzz test. 3. To process an array or list in sequence, doing the same thing to each element. "This loop buzzes through the tz array looking for a terminator type."

--The Jargon File version 4.3.1, ed. ESR, autonoded by rescdsk.

Buzz (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Buzzed (#); p. pr. & vb. n. Buzzing.] [An onomatopeia.]

To make a low, continuous, humming or sibilant sound, like that made by bees with their wings. Hence: To utter a murmuring sound; to speak with a low, humming voice.

Like a wasp is buzzed, and stung him. Longfellow.

However these disturbers of our peace Buzz in the people's ears. Shak.

 

© Webster 1913.

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Buzz, v. t.

1.

To sound forth by buzzing.

Shak.

2.

To whisper; to communicate, as tales, in an under tone; to spread, as report, by whispers, or secretly.

I will buzz abroad such prophecies That Edward shall be fearful of his life. Shak.

3.

To talk to incessantly or confidentially in a low humming voice.

[Colloq.]

4. Phonetics

To sound with a "buzz".

H. Sweet.

 

© Webster 1913.

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Buzz, n.

1.

A continuous, humming noise, as of bees; a confused murmur, as of general conversation in low tones, or of a general expression of surprise or approbation.

"The constant buzz of a fly."

Macaulay.

I found the whole room in a buzz of politics. Addison.

There is a buzz all around regarding the sermon. Thackeray.

2.

A whisper; a report spread secretly or cautiously.

There's a certain buzz Of a stolen marriage. Massinger.

3. Phonetics

The audible friction of voice consonants.

H. Sweet.

 

© Webster 1913.