chatter
verb /ˈtʃætə(r)/
/ˈtʃætər/
Verb Forms
Idioms | present simple I / you / we / they chatter | /ˈtʃætə(r)/ /ˈtʃætər/ |
| he / she / it chatters | /ˈtʃætəz/ /ˈtʃætərz/ |
| past simple chattered | /ˈtʃætəd/ /ˈtʃætərd/ |
| past participle chattered | /ˈtʃætəd/ /ˈtʃætərd/ |
| -ing form chattering | /ˈtʃætərɪŋ/ /ˈtʃætərɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive] to talk quickly and continuously, especially about things that are not important
- chatter away They chattered away happily for a while.
- chatter on He chattered on happily for about half an hour.
- chatter to somebody He chattered excitedly to his friends.
- chatter about something We chattered about work.
- chatter (away/on) (to somebody) (about something) The children chattered to each other excitedly about the next day's events.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- excitedly
- happily
- loudly
- …
- about
- to
- [intransitive] (of teeth) to knock together continuously because you are cold or frightened
- Her teeth chattered as she dressed.
- [intransitive] (of birds or monkeys ) to make a series of short high sounds
- The only sounds we could hear were the birds chattering in the trees.
Word OriginMiddle English: imitative.
Idioms
the chattering classes
- (British English, usually disapproving) the people in society who like to give their opinions on political or social issues
- Constitutional reform is popular among the chattering classes.
- topics being discussed at the breakfast tables of the chattering classes