chatter
pronunciation
How to pronounce chatter in British English:
UK [ˈtʃætə(r)]
How to pronounce chatter in American English:
US [ˈtʃætɚ]
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- Noun:
- noisy talk
- the rapid series of noises made by the parts of a machine
- the high-pitched continuing noise made by animals (birds or monkeys)
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- Verb:
- click repeatedly or uncontrollably
- cut unevenly with a chattering tool
- talk socially without exchanging too much information
- speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly
- make noise as if chattering away
Word Origin
- chatter (v.)
- early 13c., chateren "to twitter, gossip," earlier cheateren, chiteren, of echoic origin. Compare Dutch koeteren "jabber," Danish kvidre "twitter, chirp." Related: Chattered; chattering. Phrase chattering class in use by 1893, with a reference perhaps from 1843: Such was the most interesting side of the fatal event to that idle chattering class of London life to whom the collision of heaven and earth were important only as affording matter for "news!" [Catherine Grace F. Gore ("Mrs. Gore"), "The Banker's Wife," 1843]
- chatter (n.)
- mid-13c., originally of birds, from chatter (v.).
Example
- 1. The strategic chatter has frightened a lot of israelis .
- 2. Hence that chatter about a gold standard .
- 3. The chatter in pakistan was of frenzied preparation for military confrontation .
- 4. In meditation you work to discipline your mind and silence the internal chatter that constantly fill it .
- 5. The collapse caused chaos on the tokyo stock exchange ( tse ) and much fuss and chatter on the evening talk shows .