Lexic.us

Definition of Babble

1. Verb. Utter meaningless sounds, like a baby, or utter in an incoherent way. "Sam and Sue babble"; "The old man is only babbling--don't pay attention"

2. Noun. Gibberish resembling the sounds of a baby.

3. Verb. To talk foolishly. "Sam and Sue babble"; "The two women babbled and crooned at the baby"

4. Verb. Flow in an irregular current with a bubbling noise. "Babbling brooks"

5. Verb. Divulge confidential information or secrets. "Be careful--his secretary talks"

Definition of Babble

1. v. i. To utter words indistinctly or unintelligibly; to utter inarticulate sounds; as, a child babbles.

2. v. t. To utter in an indistinct or incoherent way; to repeat, as words, in a childish way without understanding.

3. n. Idle talk; senseless prattle; gabble; twaddle.

Definition of Babble

1. Noun. Idle talk; senseless prattle; gabble; twaddle. ¹

2. Noun. Inarticulate speech; constant or confused murmur. ¹

3. Noun. A sound of or alike that which of flowing water. ¹

4. Verb. (intransitive) To utter words indistinctly or unintelligibly; to utter inarticulate sounds; as, a child ''babbles''. ¹

5. Verb. (intransitive) To talk incoherently; to utter unmeaning words. ¹

6. Verb. (intransitive) To talk much; to chatter; to prate. ¹

7. Verb. (intransitive) To make a continuous murmuring noise, as shallow water running over stones. ¹

8. Verb. (transitive) To utter in an indistinct or incoherent way; to repeat, as words, in a childish way without understanding. ¹

9. Verb. (transitive) To disclose by too free talk, as a secret. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Babble

1. to talk idly or excessively [v -BLED, -BLING, -BLES]

Medical Definition of Babble

1. 1. To utter words indistinctly or unintelligibly; to utter inarticulate sounds; as a child babbles. 2. To talk incoherently; to utter unmeaning words. 3. To talk much; to chatter; to prate. 4. To make a continuous murmuring noise, as shallow water running over stones. "In every babbling he finds a friend." (Wordsworth) Hounds are said to babble, or to be babbling, when they are too noisy after having found a good scent. Synonym: To prate, prattle, chatter, gossip. Origin: Cf.LG. Babbeln, D. Babbelen, G. Bappeln, bappern, F. Babiller, It. Babbolare; prob. Orig, to keep saying ba, imitative of a child learning to talk. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Babble

babbelas babbies babbitries babbitry babbitt babbitt metal babbitt metals babbitted babbitting babbittries

babbittry babbitts babble (current term) babble out babbled babblement babblements babbler babblers babblery

babbles babblier babbliest babbling babblingly babblings babbly

Literary usage of Babble

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce (1916)
"fore the tongues about him had ceased their babble. Darkness was falling. Darkness falls from the air. A trembling joy, lambent as a faint light, ..."

2. A Concise Etymological Dictionary of the English Language by Walter William Skeat (1901)
"Cf. babble. badger. (Unknown.) Spelt bage.ard in Sir T. More ; a nickname for the brock. Dr. Murray shews that badger = animal with a badge or stripe. ..."

3. Poetical Quotations from Chaucer to Tennyson: With Copious Indexes by Samuel Austin Allibone (1875)
"God's Voice, not Nature's—night and noon He sits upon the great white throne, And listens for the Creatures' praise : What babble we of days and days ? ..."

4. English Prose and Poetry (1137-1892) by John Matthews Manly (1916)
"Albeit a theme of flame to bring them straight The snorting white-winged brother of the wave,1 They hear him as a thing by fate Cursed in unholy babble to ..."

5. Memoirs of the Lady Hester Stanhope by Hester Lucy Stanhope, Charles Lewis Meryon (1846)
"... His person — His duplicity—and deceit — His incapability of acting without guidance — His disposition to babble—Lady Hester's account of a great serpent ..."

6. Intimate China: The Chinese as I Have Seen Them by Archibald Little (1899)
"babble of Schools.— Chinese Girlchild. CHUNGKING has been so fully described in my husband's volume Through the Yangtze Gorges, I will not here enter upon a ..."

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