Is the word noise countable or uncountable

A bunch of individual noises (a cow mooing, a dog barking, a bird singing) when occurring at the same time, can be considered collectively to be just noise.

I would only talk about noises when you mean to make a distinction between them either in time or by source.

You were making a lot of noises in your sleep last night.

This means at multiple times during the night you made some noise.

You were making a lot of noise in your sleep last night.

This would more likely be interpreted as you making noise in a more continuous way throughout the night.

I can’t think with all this noise.

Here noise means the sum of all noises being heard. (The lawnmower, the traffic, the dog, the television, the neighbors, etc.)

I would rewrite your sentences:

The queen-size wooden bed always makes noise when we lie down on it. We had not noticed this issue until we moved in. Even when I am very careful as I turn over in bed, the noise still annoys my wife and she always complains about it.

English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

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.

Pronunciation[edit]

• enPR: noiz, IPA^(key): /nɔɪz/
• Rhymes: -ɔɪz
• Homophone: Noyes

Noun[edit]

noise (countable and uncountable, plural noises)

1. (uncountable) Various sounds, usually unwanted or unpleasant.

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

   • 1631, Francis [Bacon], “(please specify |century=I to X)”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], 3rd edition, London: […] William Rawley; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC:

     The heavens turn about in a most rapid motion without noise to us perceived.

   • 1959, Georgette Heyer, chapter 1, in The Unknown Ajax:

     Charles had not been employed above six months at Darracott Place, but he was not such a whopstraw as to make the least noise in the performance of his duties when his lordship was out of humour.

2. Any sound.

   The sudden noise made everyone jump.

   She crept up behind him not making a noise.

3. Sound or signal generated by random fluctuations.
4. (technology) Any part of a signal or data that reduces the clarity, precision, or quality of the desired output.

   signal-to-noise ratio

   • 2018, Clarence Green; James Lambert, “Position vectors, homologous chromosomes and gamma rays: Promoting disciplinary literacy through Secondary Phrase Lists”, in English for Specific Purposes, →DOI, page 11:

     On the technical side, the scanning and OCR of texts, in combination with the graphic design of high school text books, introduced a certain level of noise into the corpus which in turn led to a higher tagging error rate than usual and may affect count precision.

5. (figurative, by extension) Unwanted fuss or bustle; useless activity.

   • 2013, R. Douglas Williamson, Straight Talk on Leadership: Solving Canada’s Business Crisis:

     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.

6. (genetics) The measured level of variation in gene expression among cells, regardless of source, within a supposedly identical population.
7. Rumour or complaint.

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

   • 1709-1710, Thomas Baker, Reflections on Learning

     What noise have we had for fome Years about Transplantation of diseases and transfusion of blood!

   • October 13, 1711, Joseph Addison, The Spectator, No. 195

     He [Socrates] lived in Athens during the great plague, which has made so much noise through all ages.

8. (informal) Speech that is suggestive of an attitude or opinion.
   • 2012, Richard Oliver Collin, Pamela L. Martin, An Introduction to World Politics (page 425)

     Despite encouraging noises made by politicians from time to time, the two sides there have never been further from an agreement.

9. (obsolete) Music, in general; a concert; also, a company of musicians; a band.
10. (music) A genre of rock music that uses static and other non-musical sounds, also influenced by art rock.

Synonyms[edit]

• (Various sounds): sound

Hyponyms[edit]

• (Various sounds): bang, boom, crash, thud

Derived terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

References[edit]

(Genetics meaning) «Noise in Gene Expression: Origins, Consequences, and Control.» Jonathan M. Raser and Erin K. O’Shea (2005). Science. 309(5743):2010-2013.

Verb[edit]

noise (third-person singular simple present noises, present participle noising, simple past and past participle noised)

1. (intransitive) To make a noise; to sound.

   • 1667, John Milton, “(please specify the book number)”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:

     Those terrours, which thou speak’st of, did me none ;
     I never fear’d they could, though noising loud
     And threatening nigh

2. (transitive) To spread news of; to spread as rumor or gossip.
   • 1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], London: […] Nath[aniel] Ponder […], →OCLC; reprinted in The Pilgrim’s Progress as Originally Published by John Bunyan: Being a Fac-simile Reproduction of the First Edition, London: Elliot Stock […], 1875, →OCLC, page 17:

     This man then meeting with Chriſtian, and having ſome inckling of him, for Chriſtians ſetting forth from the City of Deſtruction was much noiſed abroad, not only in the Town, where he dwelt, but alſo it began to be the Town-talk in ſome other places.

Translations[edit]

Further reading[edit]

• noise in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• “noise”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• noise at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams[edit]

• NESOI, Senoi, eosin, onsie

French[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Old French noise, possibly from Latin nausia, nausea, or alternatively noxia.

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /nwaz/

Noun[edit]

noise f (plural noises)

1. (archaic or literary) quarrel, argument

Derived terms[edit]

• chercher des noises

Further reading[edit]

• “noise”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Anagrams[edit]

• noies

Middle English[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

Noun[edit]

noise

1. Alternative form of noyse

Etymology 2[edit]

Verb[edit]

noise

1. Alternative form of noysen

Middle French[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Old French noise.

Noun[edit]

noise f (plural noises)

1. noise

Descendants[edit]

• French: noise

Old French[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Uncertain; according to some, from Latin nausia, nausea (“disgust, nausea”), compare Old Occitan nauza (“noise, quarrel”); according to others, from Latin noxia (“hurt, harm, damage, injury”); but neither explanation is satisfactory in regard to either form or sense.

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /ˈnoi̯.zə/

Noun[edit]

noise f (oblique plural noises, nominative singular noise, nominative plural noises)

1. dispute, argument
2. noise, sound

Descendants[edit]

• Middle French: noise
  • French: noise
• → Middle English: noyse, neoyse, noice, noise, noyce, noyes, noys
  • English: noise
  • Scots: noise

• #1

Dear friends,

I have a question about the word «noise».

I checked it in several dictionaries, and found that it could be countable or uncountable. However, if it could be countable, how do we count, or number, noises? For example, what does «one noise» mean? What does «two noises» mean? What does «the second last noise» mean? What does «the first noise» mean? I know the rule here is to provide some contexts in order to answer questions. Unfortunately, I could not find any examples using such words like «one noise», «the second to last noise», or ‘two noises».

I know we can say «a noise», «the noise», and «noises» in some cases. But is it sufficient to say that «noise» can be a countable noun because we can use «a» before it and we can use it in the plural? In fact, I am not clear what «a» means in «a noise», and what «noises» mean. If a person took five steps on a creaking floorboard, should we say he made 5 noises or he made one identical type of noise for 5 times, or just he made a noise?

Thank you in advance.

• #2

If you can identify the type of noise, then you can count it.

The noise of bells ringing.

That’s one specific type of noise.

Birds chirping. Also a noise.

If you can identify two or more noises, then you can speak of two (etc.) noises.

I hear the noise of a train coming and a noise from a television. Those are the two noises I hear.

If a person took five steps on a creaking floorboard, I would say «He made noise as he walked across the floor.»

The noise probably wasn’t identical each time. He produced noise in general as he walked.

Also, when you open your window, you hear noise from the street (in a big city). You are hearing numerous types of noise at once.

Hmmm … it is complicated. I hope that helps a little further.

• #3

Thank you for the reply.

So, if a person took five steps on a creaking floorboard, we can say «He made noise as he walked across the floor». Can we also say, in this case,

that «He made 5 sounds when he took five steps on a creaking floorboard»? Or, we can only say «He made a sound when he took five steps on a

creaking floorboard»? These two sentences may sound strange, but grammatically are they correct in terms of describing the sound the person

made?

Last edited: Sep 19, 2012

• #4

Your two sentences, dadawa, are grammatically correct but I think that we would only say the first sentence if the 5 sounds that were made were sufficiently different to each other, which, in this case, they wouldn’t be.

• #5

Thanks!

So, can I say that «sound» and «noise» are countable only when they are used to describe different types of sound? If yes, then how should I express the meaning of «I guessed he took 5 steps on the creeking floorboard because I heard the sound for a total of 5 times»?

• #6

You could hear the same sound/noise, as well as different ones, more than once. For example you can count the strikes of a clock.

With the example of the creaking floorboard you would know how many steps were taken because the same sound (or, as near as damn it) would be heard with each step. So you could say «I guessed he took 5 steps on the creaking floorboard» and it would be assumed that the reason you knew this was because you heard five sounds/noises.

Hope that makes sense.

• #7

So 5 sounds/noises could mean either 5 different sounds/noises or 5 same sounds/noises, and the exact meaning would depend on the context. Am I right in saying so?

• #8

Yes, I would say that is correct.

• #9

So, with the example of the creaking floorboard, are all of the following sentences possible to express the same fact that a person took 5 steps on it, or all of them are grammatically correct but have different meanings?

1. He made a noise when he walked on the creaking floorboard.

2. He made noises when he walked on the creaking floorboard.

3. He made noise when he walked on the creaking floorboard.

Last edited: Sep 19, 2012

• #10

If you particularly wanted to emphasise the fact that 5 steps were taken then you would have to say something like «He took 5 steps on the creaking floorboard». It would then be assumed that each step on the creaking floorboard had made a noise/sound.

Otherwise, while the sentences above (with the possible exception of 3.) are grammatically correct, they don’t express the actual number of steps taken.

«A noise» could mean one noise or noise in general. The striking of a clock makes «a noise» ie it is noisy when it is striking (regardless of the number of strikes made).

«Noises» means more than one noise. For example «I heard noises in the middle of the night» means I heard more than one noise.

I sincerely hope, dadawa, that I am not confusing you further.

• #11

«He made noises/a noise when he walked on the creaking floorboards» could mean he hummed, he spoke, he copied the sound the floorboards made. To be more precise you should say «The floorboards creaked / made a noise when he walked on them»

• #12

I must say that I can hardly think of an example where it would be preferable to use noise as a countable noun. Although it is possible, it is very rarely used. If someone took five steps and the floorboard creaked each time we wouldn’t say «He made five noises,» but «he made the noise five times.» If five different things were making noise we would say «The five sounds combined to make a lot of noise.»

It’s possible, of course. You can say «I only heard two noises all night.» But noise is used as a non-countable noun far more often.

Last edited: Sep 19, 2012

• #13

Thankyou very much for your explanation and patience, trastu! I feel you are making things clearer. Maybe the way I ask questions gives you a feeling that I am more confused than before.

If I understand your explanation correctly, «He made a noise when he walked on the creaking floorboard» refers to the noise resulting from walking. «He made noises when he walked on the creaking floorboard»refers to more than one noise he made while walking, for example, he might have been talking to somebody and clapping his hands (strange though) while walking.

Is my understanding correct now?

• #14

He made a lot of noise, walking on the creaking floorboard and clapping his hands. Both sounds combine to one noise.

He amused the children by making faces and making funny noises. He made different noises, one at a time.

Does this help?

• #15

Thank you Franko-filly and Sparky Malarky.

So the sentenc «I only heard two noises all night» means «I heard two noises, one at a time», not «I heard two noises, one is one person singing, the other is another person laughing, at the same time (strange though)»?

• #16

You are very welcome dadawa.

«He made a noise when he walked on the creaking floorboard» would, most likely, refer to the noise resulting from walking but it could also mean that he was singing, speaking or whatever as he walked (this would be the ‘noise in general’ definition). Or it could mean that he made one single noise while walking on the floorboard (such as a sneeze or something) but this is much less likely.

«He made noises when he walked on the creaking floorboard». I, personally, would say this if different noises, or the same noise was made more than once, whilst walking on the floorboard.

Hope that helps.

• #17

…
1. I checked it in several dictionaries, and found that it could be countable or uncountable.

2. However, if it could be countable, how do we count, or number, noises?

3. For example, what does «one noise» mean? What does «two noises» mean? What does «the second last noise» mean? What does «the first noise» mean? I know the rule here is to provide some contexts in order to answer questions. Unfortunately, I could not find any examples using such words like «one noise», «the second to last noise», or ‘two noises».

4. I know we can say «a noise», «the noise», and «noises» in some cases. But is it sufficient to say that «noise» can be a countable noun because we can use «a» before it and we can use it in the plural?

5. In fact, I am not clear what «a» means in «a noise», and what «noises» mean. If a person took five steps on a creaking floorboard, should we say he made 5 noises or he made one identical type of noise for 5 times, or just he made a noise?
…

I return to your initial question and give answers to the points one-by-one.

1. Yes the noun ‘noise’ can be countable or uncountable.

2. We can say one noise, two noises…1 million noises, etc. Just as we do with any countable noun. We can also refer to the first noise, the second noise, the fiftieth noise and so on. There is nothing unusual about numbering noises,

3. I will provide some context for you. Imagine the following experiment. A scientist wants to know if her subject can recognise different animal noises without the subject seeing the animals.

Scientist: I shall play you ten different noises over the headphones. Each time I play a noise please write down the name of the animal you think made it.
The scientist plays the ten noises and the subject writes them down.
Scientist: What was the first noise you heard?
Subject: A pig.
Scientist: What was the fourth noise you heard?
Subject: A donkey
Scientist: What was the last noise you heard?
Subject: A cow.
Scientist: What was the second to last noise you heard?
Subject: A sheep.4. Yes, it is sufficient, however I challenge you to find such a noun.

5. Scenario: A man is waiting for some important news. He is impatient and keeps walking up and down. His wife is annoyed.
Mary: Please stop walking up and down, you are making a noise.
John: What noise?
Mary: Every time you walk across the floorboard it squeaks each time you take a step.
John: Sorry I didn’t mean to make a noise.
Mary: That is not the only noise you are making. You are also talking to yourself.
John: Sorry Mary, I shall try to stop making noises.
Mary: What’s that noise outside?
John: That’s the noise of someone arguing in the street.
Mary: There is a lot of noise in this neighbourhood.
John: Yes, this is the worst neighbourhood for noise I have ever lived in.
John opens the window and shouts at the people who are arguing.
John: Stop that noise!
People in the street: We’re not making a noise!
etc.

Does this help? Do you have any further questions?

Last edited by a moderator: Sep 19, 2012

• #18

Thank you, trastu. It is much clearer now combining information in the posts above. I also see the differences between the views, but maybe that is AE and BE difference. I learned a lot from the posts under this thread.

Thank you all.

• #19

Sorry Biffo I did not notice that you posted before me. Let me take a few minutes to digest your post…

• #20

Hello dadawa, I would use ‘noises’ when I am going to tell the difference afterwards.

• #21

Biffo, just to make sure that I understand your examples, can I say that «make noises» can have two meanings:

1. make different sounds at different time, one at a time (like what the scientist did in the experiment) ;

2. make different sounds at the same time (like what John did in the the example you gave)

Last edited: Sep 19, 2012

• #22

To coolieinblue:

Thank you. You provide a simple and convenient rule for the usage of «noise».

• #23

Biffo, just to make sure that I understand your examples, can I say that «make noises» can have two meanings:

1. make different sounds at different time, one at a time (like what the scientist did in the experiment) ;

2. make different sounds at the same time (like what John did in the the example you gave)

It is no different from any other noun. Does «give biscuits» have two meanings?

I can give you two different biscuits at different times or I can give you two different biscuits at the same time.

Why do you think the rule is different for noises?

• #24

It is no different from any other noun. Does «give biscuits» have two meanings?

I can give you two different biscuits at different times or I can give you two different biscuits at the same time.

Why do you think the rule is different for noises?

I can make a «BARKgrowlMEOW» noise, but I can’t give you a HobNob/TimTam/Penguin biscuit.

• #25

Thank you, Biffo. You asked a good question. I think my confusion comes from when I should treat «noise» as countable and when it is uncountable. From most examples I saw (except the one sentence you wrote «I shall try to stop making noises» said by John), when referring to the sounds that are made at the same time, it is always «noise» not «noises». For example, in your point 5, the first sentence said by Mary and the sentences about the sounds in the street later, all use «noise» instead of «noises», despite the fact that the noise is actually made up of several sounds.

And this is also why I asked a question in one of my previous post, can «I heard only two noises all night» have two different meanings: two noises, one at a time (so I heard twice), or two different noises, say one is singing, the other one is laughing, combined together and lasted for a few minutes or an hour?

• #26

Thank you, Biffo. You asked a good question. I think my confusion comes from when I should treat «noise» as countable and when it is uncountable. From most examples I saw (except the one sentence you wrote «I shall try to stop making noises» said by John), when referring to the sounds that are made at the same time, it is always «noise» not «noises». For example, in your point 5, the first sentence said by Mary and the sentences about the sounds in the street later, all use «noise» instead of «noises», despite the fact that the noise is actually made up of several sounds.

And this is also why I asked a question in one of my previous post, can «I heard only two noises all night» have two different meanings: two noises, one at a time (so I heard twice), or two different noises, say one is singing, the other one is laughing, combined together and lasted for a few minutes or an hour?

Actually I think that all your confusion comes from not knowing how to use noise as an uncountable noun. When using countable noises simply apply the same rules as any other countable nouns.

Let me see if I can find a way through this.

Suppose I sit in the middle of Marble Arch in London during the rush hour. All I will hear is noise. Specifically I will hear traffic noise. Because there is a lot of traffic the noise will be deafening. There will be a great amount of noise. So much noise that I may wish to move to a quieter place.

Noise (uncountable) is a description of sounds in the environment that are confused or jumbled or that

I don’t particularly like

. For example suppose a student is playing very loud dance music next door to me and I only like classical music, then I will classify his music as ‘noise’.
«Stop that horrible noise!»

Does this help?

• #27

Thank you very much, Biffo. I got it.
Wow, this thread is so hot!

• #28

Hello dadawa, I would use ‘noises’ when I am going to tell the difference afterwards.

Yes, a well known example of this use of noises was quoted in the Olympic opening ceremony. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-16761126
Be not afeard, the isle is full of noises,
Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not.
Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices,
<<excessive quotation deleted — maximum of 4 lines>>
Shakespeare’s The Tempest, III, ii

Last edited by a moderator: Sep 20, 2012

• #29

5. Scenario: A man is waiting for some important news. He is impatient and keeps walking up and down. His wife is annoyed.
Mary: Please stop walking up and down, you are making a noise.
John: What noise?
Mary: Every time you walk across the floorboard it squeaks each time you take a step.
John: Sorry I didn’t mean to make a noise.
Mary: That is not the only noise you are making. You are also talking to yourself.
John: Sorry Mary, I shall try to stop making noises.
Mary: What’s that noise outside?
John: That’s the noise of someone arguing in the street.
Mary: There is a lot of noise in this neighbourhood.
John: Yes, this is the worst neighbourhood for noise I have ever lived in.
John opens the window and shouts at the people who are arguing.
John: Stop that noise!
People in the street: We’re not making a noise!
etc.

Does this help? Do you have any further questions?

Is the last one «We’re not making a noise!»being used as a hyperbole? Are the people in the street emphasizing that they’re not making a single bit of noise? They are minding their own business, but totally quiescent?

What do you think about «We’re not making noise»? Would it also work as a response to the accusation that they’re disturbing the peace and quiet?

• #30

Is the last one «We’re not making a noise!»being used as a hyperbole? Are the people in the street emphasizing that they’re not making a single bit of noise? They are minding their own business, but totally quiescent?

What do you think about «We’re not making noise»? Would it also work as a response to the accusation that they’re disturbing the peace and quiet?

Yes they are denying that they are being noisy but in fact they are shouting so they

are

noisy.

«We’re not making noise» No that doesn’t work. However it is interesting that children when they are learning to speak often go through the phase of using a phrase like this!

This whole subject is really hard isn’t it?

I know how to use the words but I don’t know how to explain them.

________________________________________________________________
NOTE
Just to make it even harder! we can say «I’m not making much noise» and «I’m not making any noise» but we can’t say «I’m not making noise».

Last edited by a moderator: Oct 8, 2012

• #31

Yes they are denying that they are being noisy but in fact they are shouting so they

are

noisy.

«We’re not making noise» No that doesn’t work. However it is interesting that children when they are learning to speak often go through the phase of using a phrase like this!

This whole subject is really hard isn’t it?

I know how to use the words but I don’t know how to explain them.

________________________________________________________________
NOTE
Just to make it even harder! we can say «I’m not making much noise» and «I’m not making any noise» but we can’t say «I’m not making noise».

Thanks, Biffo. Yes, as with many article questions, it’s all down to a matter of patterns of use.

Since you’re the original writer of this scene, I have to ask: If the people in the street were being confrontational and said «We’re making (noise). So what, do you have a problem with that?», do you think they should use the countable «noises»?

Having said that, I’d just write around the problem and use «We’re being noisy, so what?» or «We’re making a racket! So what?»

WRITTEN July 16, 2015

Should “Noise” even have a plural?

Recently, at a barbeque, two friends were having a disagreement about who had the correct grammar. They came to me to settle the argument (knowing what I do, and because I’m a grammar geek). Here’s what happened:

The first one had been holding her phone in her hand, waiting to receive a message. To her friend, she said, “It hasn’t made any noises, so I’ll have to wait.”

The second one said, “‘Noises’? You mean ‘noise.’ It hasn’t made any noise.”

They disagreed on which is correct. Is it “noise,” or “noises”?

Looking at the information below, what would you say?
Which is correct?

Have a singular and plural form

one man; two men; one city; three cities; one bell; four bells

Represent things that are not countable; singular form only

water; steel; smoke

I had to tell them that they’re both correct!

The word “noise” is both a count and noncount noun.

As a count noun, you can put a number before it, and make it plural by adding an -s at the end: “We heard three noises.”

As a noncount noun, it appears in the singular, and represents something that can’t be counted: “There was noise coming from the front tire.”

So, unfortunately for them, I was not able to settle the argument, since the noun noise can be countable or uncountable. But it was still a fun barbecue. Any other questions?

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