CHATTER


Meaning of CHATTER in English

I. ˈchad.ə(r), -atə- verb

( -ed/-ing/-s )

Etymology: Middle English chatteren, of imitative origin

intransitive verb

1.

a. : to utter rapidly succeeding sounds somewhat like language but inarticulate and indistinct — orig. used of birds

chattering like a flock of blackbirds — Ellen Glasgow

squirrels and chipmunks came to chatter and play about them — Sherwood Anderson

the leaves began to chatter — George Meredith

a tiny stream that chatters and twists through dells and dingles — American Guide Series: Connecticut

b. of a pickup cartridge : to produce unwanted sound acoustically

2. : to talk idly, carelessly, incessantly, or with undue rapidity : jabber

men who followed the sea were always chattering about the ease and security of life in the country — L.C.Douglas

all through the rest of the meal I chattered of the cottage — Adrian Bell

men who are silent are set against men who chatter — Times Literary Supplement

3.

a. : to make the sound of or as if of rapidly repeated noisy contacts (as of the teeth of one who is extremely cold or frightened)

master's teeth chattered with horror — Donn Byrne

chatter like castanets in a Spanish dance

skis will chatter in a turn if they are edged too much — Operations in Snow & Extreme Cold (U.S. War Dept.)

machine guns chattering — Philip Wylie

b. of a cutting tool : to vibrate rapidly in the action of cutting so as to form ridges or nicks

the plane chattered along the edge of the plank

c. : to operate or perform with any irregularity that causes rapid intermittent noise or vibration

the motor chattered in reverse

transitive verb

1. : to utter or speak rapidly, idly, or indistinctly

English is chattered here — Claudia Cassidy

the woman chattered her silly tale

2. dialect England : tear , shatter

3. of a cutting tool : to cut unevenly because of vibration

variation in the thickness of an oil film produces chattered work — New Departure Handbook

II. noun

( -s )

Etymology: Middle English chatere, from chatteren, v.

1. : the action or sound of chattering

the chatter of magpies

the chatter of rivet guns

the chatter of the plane along the wood

the chatter of the worn clutch trying to take hold

2. : idle talk : prattle

my chatter was as gay and sprightly as a bird song — R.P.Warren

the chatter of small voices around him — M.W.Fishwick

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.