Definition

1. Noun:

   • Rapid, continuous, and often high-pitched sound: This refers to the quick, repetitive noise made by animals, such as birds or monkeys.
   • Rapid series of mechanical noises: This describes the fast, repetitive clicking or rattling sounds produced by parts of a machine.
   • Idle, rapid, or trivial talk: This signifies fast, continuous, and often unimportant conversation.

2. Verb:

   • To make rapid, continuous sounds: To produce a series of quick, short noises, like an animal or a machine.
   • To talk rapidly, incessantly, or trivially: To speak quickly and continuously about unimportant matters.
   • To talk socially in a light, informal way: To engage in casual, relaxed conversation.
   • To click or rattle repeatedly: For objects, like teeth, to knock together rapidly and uncontrollably.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • The chatter of squirrels in the trees was a constant background noise.
  • The constant chatter of the old printer was annoying.
  • I couldn't concentrate with all the office chatter.

• Verb:

  • Monkeys were chattering loudly in the canopy.
  • She would chatter on the phone for hours about nothing in particular.
  • We spent the afternoon just chattering over coffee.
  • His teeth were chattering from the cold.

Advanced Usage

• "Shoot the breeze": To engage in casual, relaxed conversation or chatter.

  • We weren't discussing anything important, just shooting the breeze.

• "Chattering classes": A sometimes critical term for people, especially in the media and academia, who are perceived as talking a lot about politics and society.

  • The policy was widely debated among the chattering classes.

Variants and Related Words

• Chatterer (n): A person who chatters.
• Chatterbox (n): An informal term for a person, especially a child, who talks incessantly.
• Chit-chat (n/v): Light, informal conversation; to engage in such talk. This is a close synonym for the conversational sense of "chatter."

Synonyms

• Babble: To talk rapidly and continuously in a foolish, excited, or incomprehensible way.
• Prate: To talk foolishly or at tedious length.
• Jabber: To talk rapidly and excitedly but with little sense.
• Patter: Rapid, continuous, and often rhythmic speech or sound.

Related Phrasal Verbs

(Note: "Chatter" is not commonly used with particles to form distinct phrasal verbs. Its meaning is typically conveyed alone or with prepositions like "on" or "away.") - Chatter on/away: To continue talking rapidly and at length. - She just chattered away about her holiday plans.

Related Idioms

• Chatter like a magpie: To talk incessantly and noisily.

  • Once she gets started, she chatters like a magpie.

• Cut the chatter: An imperative to stop talking, especially idle talk.

  • Alright everyone, cut the chatter and let's get to work.

Noun

1. the high-pitched continuing noise made by animals (birds or monkeys)
2. the rapid series of noises made by the parts of a machine
3. noisy talk

Verb

1. make noise as if chattering away
   • The magpies were chattering in the trees
2. speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly
3. talk socially without exchanging too much information
   • the men were sitting in the cafe and shooting the breeze
4. cut unevenly with a chattering tool
5. click repeatedly or uncontrollably
   • Chattering teeth