Also in various extended forms, as tum-a-tum, tum-ti-tum, etc. An imitation of the sound of a stringed instrument or instruments, esp. when monotonously played; strumming; a monotonous air. Also attrib.
1859. Habits Gd. Society, xiii. 344. A … nightmare of ‘tum-tum-tiddy-tum,’ and waltzes à deux temps.
1884. Pall Mall G., 4 July, 4/1. The thrum-thrum, ting-ting, tum-a-tum-tum of their banjoes.
1886. Overland Monthly, Dec., 612/2. Tum! tum-ti-tum! tum! went the guitar.
1887. Pall Mall G., 31 Oct., 5/1. ‘Florid’ accompaniments consisting of tum tum in the bass and scales like pianoforte finger studies in the treble.
1894. Baring-Gould, Kitty Alone, III. 79. All the harmonies in thirds and fifths, and a solemn tum-tum bass.
So Tum-tum v., intr. to play monotonously (or make a similar sound), to strum; hence Tum-tummer, Tum-tumming vbl. sb. and ppl. a.
1866. A. G. Middleton, Earnest (1867), 5. The lubras … tum-tummed on bits of stick.
1879. Baring-Gould, Germany, II. 87. Nothing better in the musical line than pretty tum-tumming.
1892. D. Sladen, Japs at Home, ii. A ‘tum-tumming’ noise is kept up.
1898. Westm. Gaz., 20 April, 3/2. Mr. Cookson … the tootler and tumtummer on old themes.
