释义 |
chat I. \ˈchat, usu -ad.+V\ noun (-s) Etymology: Middle English chatte catkin, from Middle French, literally, female cat, from chat cat, from Late Latin cattus; probably from its resemblance to a cat's tail — more at cat 1. a. : the inflorescence or seed of various plants (as an ament or a samara) b. now dialect : strobile, cone 2. dialect England : a twig or little branch suitable for kindling 3. Britain : a small inferior potato 4. : tailing 2c — often used in plural II. verb (chatted ; chatted ; chatting ; chats) Etymology: Middle English chatten, short for chatteren to chatter intransitive verb 1. : chatter, prattle 2. : to talk in a light and familiar manner : converse without ceremony or stiffness < chat about trifles > transitive verb 1. obsolete : chatter, prattle 2. dialect Britain : to talk to; especially : to address in a tentative manner : approach III. noun (-s) 1. : idle unimportant talk : prattle, chatter 2. a. : a light familiar talk < a magazine devoted to chat about the arts > especially : conversation < kept up a continual chat with the lady — Michael McLaverty > b. : an instance of such talk < a TV chat broadcast at intervals > < a long chat between old friends > 3. [imitative] : any of several songbirds: as a. : a bird of the genus Saxicola (as the stonechat and whinchat of Europe) b. : a bird of an Australian genus Epthianura (family Turdidae) c. : a bird of an American genus Icteria (family Parulidae) — see yellow-breasted chat IV. noun : on-line discussion in a chat room ; also : an instance of such discussion < participate in computer chats > |