long-tongued
She is known as the long-tongued neighbor who always shares the latest gossip.
Definition
- Adjective:
- Talkative or loquacious: "long-tongued" describes a person who speaks excessively, often in a verbose or gossipy manner.
- Inclined to chatter: It can also imply a tendency to talk too much, sometimes without restraint or discretion.
Usage Examples
- (She talks excessively and chatters a lot.)
- (The talkative neighbor gossiped carelessly.)
Advanced Usage
"long-tongued gossip": a person who habitually spreads news or rumors through excessive talking.
- The office has a long-tongued gossip who knows everyone's business. (A talkative person who shares private information.)
"long-tongued in debate": using excessive or verbose speech during a formal discussion.
- The politician was long-tongued in debate, often speaking for minutes without making a clear point. (Verbose and talkative in a formal setting.)
Variants and Related Words
- Long-tonguedness (noun): the quality or state of being talkative.
- Her long-tonguedness made her unpopular in quiet social circles. (Her tendency to talk too much.)
Synonyms
- Talkative: inclined to talk a great deal.
- Loquacious: very talkative; fond of talking.
- Garrulous: excessively talkative, especially on trivial matters.
- Voluble: speaking or spoken incessantly and fluently.
Antonyms
- Taciturn: reserved or uncommunicative in speech; saying little.
- Reticent: not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily.
- Laconic: using very few words; brief in speech.
Related Idioms
"Have a long tongue": to be talkative or prone to gossip.
- She has a long tongue, so don't tell her any secrets. (She talks too much and cannot keep secrets.)
"Loose lips sink ships": a warning against careless talk that could cause harm.
- Remember, loose lips sink ships — don't be long-tongued about the plan. (Avoid excessive talk that could lead to trouble.)