tattle
/'tætl/
Definition
Noun:
- Gossip or trivial talk: "Tattle" refers to idle, often trivial, or gossipy conversation.
- The act of revealing secrets: It can also mean the act of disclosing private or confidential information, especially in a childish or indiscreet manner.
Verb:
- To gossip or chatter idly: To talk rapidly and incessantly about unimportant matters.
- To reveal secrets or inform on someone: To divulge confidential information, often to an authority figure.
Usage Examples
Noun:
- The children's tattle was full of silly stories about their classmates.
- I don't want to hear any more tattle about who said what at the party.
Verb:
- The children would tattle for hours about nothing in particular.
- If you tattle on your brother, he will get in trouble.
Advanced Usage
"to tattle on someone": to inform an authority figure about someone's misbehavior.
- She threatened to tattle on her friend for breaking the rule.
"tattle-tale" (noun): a person, especially a child, who informs on others. (Note: This is a common compound word derived from "tattle").
- Nobody likes a tattle-tale.
Variants and Related Words
Tattler (n): A person who tattles or gossips.
- He was known as the office tattler.
Tattletale (n): Synonym for "tattle-tale," a person who informs on others.
Synonyms
- Verb (to gossip): Chatter, prattle, babble.
- Verb (to inform): Snitch, tell on, squeal, blab.
- Noun (gossip): Prattle, chatter, idle talk.
Related Phrasal Verbs / Constructions
- Tattle on: This is the primary phrasal construction, meaning to inform against someone.
- He promised not to tattle on his friends.
Related Idioms
- Spill the beans: To reveal a secret (similar in meaning to the revealing aspect of "tattle").
- He finally spilled the beans about the surprise party.
Noun
-
disclosing information or giving evidence about another
Verb
-
divulge confidential information or secrets
-
Be careful--his secretary talks
-
-
speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly
Khám phá thêm
Các từ liên quan
Từ chứa "tattle"
