yack away
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb: - To talk continuously in a way that is boring, annoying, or tiresome. It implies speaking at length, often about trivial matters, without stopping.
Usage
This verb is informal and often used to express mild annoyance or impatience with someone who is talking too much. It describes a one-sided, non-stop flow of speech. - She would yack away on the phone for hours. - Once he starts about his coin collection, he just yacks away.
Advanced Usage
- The phrase often carries a connotation that the speaker is not engaging in a meaningful dialogue but is instead monopolizing the conversation with unimportant or tedious talk.
- It can be used in both past and present continuous tenses to emphasize the ongoing nature of the tiresome talking.
Variants and Related Words
- Yack: (verb) To talk persistently about trivial matters. (e.g., )
- Yak away: An alternative, equally informal spelling and form with the same meaning.
- Jabber away: A close synonym meaning to talk rapidly and excitedly with little substance.
Synonyms
- Jabber: To talk rapidly and indistinctly.
- Prattle: To talk at length in a foolish or inconsequential way.
- Blather: To talk long-windedly without making much sense.
- Chatter: To talk rapidly or incessantly about trivial matters.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Yack on: Similar to "yack away," meaning to continue talking tiresomely.
- He just yacked on about the weather all afternoon.
Related Idioms
- Run off at the mouth: To talk excessively or indiscreetly.
- He tends to run off at the mouth during meetings.
- Talk one's ear off: To talk to someone for a long time, to the point of annoyance.
- My neighbor talked my ear off about her garden.
Verb
- talk incessantly and tiresomely