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Chatter

//ˈtʃætə// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Talk, especially meaningless or unimportant talk. uncountable, usually

    "Although hardly coming under my theme, I cannot omit this: "Against a woman's chatter: Taste at night fasting a root of radish, that day the chatter cannot harm thee.""

  2. 2
    One who chats.
  3. 3
    noisy talk wordnet
  4. 4
    The sound of talking. uncountable, usually
  5. 5
    A user of livestream chat. Internet
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  1. 6
    the high-pitched continuing noise made by animals (birds or monkeys) wordnet
  2. 7
    The vocalisations of a Eurasian magpie, Pica pica. uncountable, usually
  3. 8
    A user of chat rooms. Internet

    "During the chat sessions, two outreach team members would engage in a conversation about the topic chosen for that event in the main chat room and entice other chatters to join in."

  4. 9
    the rapid series of noises made by the parts of a machine wordnet
  5. 10
    The vocalisations of various birds or other animals. uncountable, usually

    "The hare cried and complained of the terrible February cold and the disgusting chatter of the owls[.]"

  6. 11
    An intermittent noise, as from vibration. uncountable, usually

    "Proper brake adjustment will help to reduce the chatter."

  7. 12
    In national security, the degree of communication between suspect groups and individuals, used to gauge the degree of expected terrorist activity. uncountable, usually

    "The NSA is concerned about increased chatter between known terror groups."

  8. 13
    The situation where a drill or similar tool vibrates and tears the material rather than cutting it cleanly. uncountable, usually
Verb
  1. 1
    To talk idly. intransitive

    "They knitted and chattered the whole time."

  2. 2
    speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly wordnet
  3. 3
    To make a noise by rapid collisions. intransitive, usually

    "He was so cold that his teeth were chattering."

  4. 4
    make noise as if chattering away wordnet
  5. 5
    To utter sounds which somewhat resemble language, but are inarticulate and indistinct.

    "The jay makes answer, as the magpie chatters with delight."

Show 3 more definitions
  1. 6
    talk socially without exchanging too much information wordnet
  2. 7
    cut unevenly with a chattering tool wordnet
  3. 8
    click repeatedly or uncontrollably wordnet

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English chateren, from earlier cheteren, chiteren (“to twitter, chatter, jabber”), of imitative origin. Compare Saterland Frisian tjoaterje (“to chatter”), West Frisian tsjotterje (“to chatter”), Dutch schateren, schetteren (“chatter”), Dutch koeteren (“jabber”), Middle Low German kidderen (“to chatter”), German Low German queteln (“to chatter”), dialectal German kaudern (“to gobble (like a turkey)”), Danish kvidre (“to twitter, chirp”).

Etymology 2

From Middle English chateren, from earlier cheteren, chiteren (“to twitter, chatter, jabber”), of imitative origin. Compare Saterland Frisian tjoaterje (“to chatter”), West Frisian tsjotterje (“to chatter”), Dutch schateren, schetteren (“chatter”), Dutch koeteren (“jabber”), Middle Low German kidderen (“to chatter”), German Low German queteln (“to chatter”), dialectal German kaudern (“to gobble (like a turkey)”), Danish kvidre (“to twitter, chirp”).

Etymology 3

chat + -er

See also for "chatter"

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