chat|ter

chat|ter «CHAT uhr», verb, noun.

–v.i.

1. to talk constantly in a quick, foolish way about unimportant things: »

The children chattered about the circus.

SYNONYM(S): babble, prattle.

2. to make quick, indistinct sounds: »

Monkeys chatter. Starlings chatter in the trees on summer evenings.

SYNONYM(S): jabber, gabble.

3. to rattle together: »

Cold makes a person's teeth chatter.

4. (of a cutting tool) to vibrate in cutting, so as to make nicks or notches on the work.

–v.t.

1. to utter constantly, rapidly, and foolishly: »

to chatter nonsense.

2. to utter with quick, indistinct sounds: »

The monkeys sound as if they were chattering words.

3. to make rattle together: »

Cowering in corners … gibbering and chattering their teeth (George A. Sala).

4. (of a cutting tool) to mark (work) with nicks.

–n.

1. quick, foolish talk about unimportant things: »

Once it was really true that today's idle chatter in Washington was very likely tomorrow's law (Wall Street Journal).

2. quick, indistinct sounds: »

The chatter of sparrows in the early dawn awoke us.

3. a sound of rattling together: »

the chatter of teeth.

╂[imitative]

–chat´ter|ing|ly, adverb.