witter
/ˈwɪtə
/verb [no object] British informal
Speak at length about trivial matters: she’d been wittering on about Jennifer and her illness...
- He can, according to those who know him, witter on about pretty much anything, and at ear-numbing length.
- Nevertheless, La Girnie witters: ‘I'm amazed that there haven't been complaints from the militant feministas and their sisters that the sculpture fails to include a female.’
- Instead of lauding the likes of Mr Van Buitenen and Ms Andresen, he attacks them; instead of rooting out fraud, he witters on about non-existent success.
Synonyms
prattle, babble, chatter, prate, gabble, jabber, go on, run on, rattle on/away, yap, jibber-jabber, patter, blather, blether, blither, maunder, ramble, drivel
informal yak, yackety-yak, yabber, yatter
British informal rabbit, chunter, natter, waffle
Scottish & Irish informal slabber
Australian/New Zealand informal mag
archaic twaddle, clack, twattle
Origin
Early 19th century (originally Scots and dialect): probably imitative.