late 14c., noisen, "to praise; to talk loudly about, spread by rumor or report," from noise (n.) or from Old French noisier, from the noun in French. Related: Noised; noising.

c. 1200, "sound of a musical instrument;" mid-13c., "loud speech, outcry, clamor, shouting;" c. 1300, "a sound of any kind from any source," especially a loud and disagreeable sound, from Old French noise "din, disturbance, uproar, brawl" (11c., in modern French only in phrase chercher noise "to pick a quarrel"), also "rumor, report, news," a word of uncertain origin, replacing Replaced native gedyn (see din).

According to some, it is from Latin nausea "disgust, annoyance, discomfort," literally "seasickness" (see nausea). According to others, it is from Latin noxia "hurting, injury, damage." OED considers that "the sense of the word is against both suggestions," but nausea could have developed a sense in Vulgar Latin of "unpleasant situation, noise, quarrel" (compare Old Provençal nauza "noise, quarrel"). Confusion with annoy, noisome, and other similar words seems to have occurred.

From c. 1300 as "a disturbance; report, rumor, scandal." In Middle English sometimes also "a pleasant sound." In 16c.-17c. "a band or company of musicians." Noises off, as a stage instruction in theater, "sound effects, usually loud and confused, made off stage but to be heard by the audience as part of the play," is by 1908.

1810, "person or thing that makes noise," from noise (n.) + agent noun from make (v.). The verbal phrase make noise is from mid-13c., and noise-making is from early 15c.

"making no noise, silent," c. 1600, from noise (n.) + -less. Related: Noiselessly; noiselessness. Noiseful is attested from late 14c.

1690s, "making a loud sound," also "full of noise," from noise (n.) + -y (2). Earlier was noiseful (late 14c.). Related: Noisily; noisiness.

dog bark noise, 1804, echoic.

"to make a noise like a pig," by 1909, of imitative origin.