blab
/blæb/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To talk indiscreetly or excessively about unimportant matters: To speak rapidly and incessantly, often in a foolish or trivial way.
- To reveal a secret or confidential information: To divulge private or sensitive information carelessly or maliciously.
Usage and Examples
- Verb (to chatter):
- He tends to blab about his weekend plans to anyone who will listen.
- The children blabbed on and on about their favorite cartoons.
- Verb (to reveal a secret):
- She accidentally blabbed the surprise party details to the guest of honor.
- If you blab this secret, there will be serious consequences.
Advanced Usage
- "to blab out": To reveal something, especially a secret, suddenly or carelessly.
- He was so nervous that he blabbed out the entire plan.
- "to blab to someone": To reveal information, especially secrets, to a specific person.
- She blabbed to the press about the company's financial troubles.
Variants and Related Words
- Blabber (verb/noun): A synonym meaning to talk foolishly or at length; also, a person who does this.
- He's such a blabber; he can't keep anything to himself.
- Blabbermouth (noun, informal): A person who talks too much, especially one who reveals secrets.
- Don't tell him anything—he's a known blabbermouth.
Synonyms
- Chatter: To talk rapidly about unimportant things.
- Gossip: To talk about other people's private lives.
- Spill the beans (idiom): To reveal a secret.
- Let the cat out of the bag (idiom): To reveal a secret, often accidentally.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Blab on: To continue talking in a foolish or indiscreet way.
- He just blabbed on about his new car for an hour.
Related Idioms
- A blabber mouth: A person who cannot keep secrets.
- I need someone discreet for this job, not a blabber mouth.
- Loose lips sink ships: An idiom warning that careless talk (blabbing) can cause serious problems.
- Remember, loose lips sink ships, so don't blab about our strategy.
Verb
- speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly
- divulge confidential information or secrets
- Be careful--his secretary talks