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Share This bab·ble Audio Help / ˈbæb / Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation [ bab -uh ] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation verb, -bled, -bling, noun –verb (used without object) 1. to utter sounds or words imperfectly, indistinctly, or without meaning.
2. to talk idly, irrationally, excessively, or foolishly; chatter or prattle.
3. to make a continuous, murmuring sound.
–verb (used with object) 4. to utter in an incoherent, foolish, or meaningless fashion.
5. to reveal foolishly or thoughtlessly: to babble a secret.
–noun 6. inarticulate or imperfect speech.
7. foolish, meaningless, or incoherent speech; prattle.
8. a murmuring sound or a confusion of sounds.
10. Telecommunications . Compare cross talk (def. 1) .
[Origin:
1200–50; ME
babelen; c. ON
babbla, D
babbelen, G
pappelen ]
—Synonyms 2 .3 .
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
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American Heritage Dictionary -
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bab·bled , bab·bling , bab·bles
intr.
To utter a meaningless confusion of words or sounds: Babies babble before they can talk.
To talk foolishly or idly; chatter: "In 1977 [he] was thought of as crazy because he was babbling about supply side" (Newt Gingrich).
To make a continuous low, murmuring sound, as flowing water.
tr.
To utter rapidly and indistinctly.
To blurt out impulsively; disclose without careful consideration.
Inarticulate or meaningless talk or sounds.
Idle or foolish talk; chatter.
A continuous low, murmuring sound, as of flowing water.
babelen .]
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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Online Etymology Dictionary -
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1230, babeln "to prattle," akin to other Western European words for stammering and prattling (cf. Swed. babbla, Fr. babiller ) attested from the same era, some of which were probably borrowed, but etymologists cannot now determine which were original. Probably imitative of baby-talk, in any case (cf. L. babulus, Gk. barbaros ). "No direct connexion with Babel can be traced; though association with that may have affected the senses" [OED]. Meaning "to repeat oneself incoherently, speak foolishly" is attested from c.1418.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
WordNet -
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Share This babble noun 1. gibberish resembling the sounds of a baby verb 1. utter meaningless sounds, like a baby, or utter in an incoherent way; "The old man is only babbling--don't pay attention" 2. to talk foolishly; "The two women babbled and crooned at the baby" 3. flow in an irregular current with a bubbling noise; "babbling brooks" [syn: ripple ] 4. divulge confidential information or secrets; "Be careful--his secretary talks" [ant: keep one's mouth shut ]
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary -
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Share This babble 1 [ˈbӕbl] verb
to talk indistinctly or foolishly
Example:
What are you babbling about now?
Arabic: يُثَرثِر، يَتَكَلَّم بِحَماقَه Chinese (Simplified): 唠叨 Chinese (Traditional): 嘮叨 Czech: žvanit Danish: vrøvle; ævle; plabre; sludre Dutch: kletsen Estonian: lalisema Finnish: höpöttää French: bafouiller, bavarder Greek: μουρμουρίζω ακατάληπτα Hungarian: gügyög Icelandic: masa, þvæla Indonesian: mengoceh, mengobrol Italian: balbettare, barbugliare Japanese: ぺちゃくちゃしゃべる
Korean: 서투른 말로 지껄이다 Latvian: pļāpāt; vāvuļot Lithuanian: plepėti, taukšti Norwegian: bable, sludre, skravle Polish: paplać Portuguese (Brazil): tagarelar Portuguese (Portugal): palrar Romanian: a bolborosi; a trăncăni Russian: бормотать, болтать Slovak: tárať Slovenian: brbljati Spanish: murmullar, murmurar, barbotar Swedish: babbla Turkish: saçma sapan konuşmak, ağzında gevelemek
babble 2 [ˈbӕbl] verb
to make a continuous and indistinct noise
Example:
The stream babbled over the pebbles.
Arabic: يخرِّ (النهر) Chinese (Simplified): （流水）潺潺作声 Chinese (Traditional): (流水)潺潺作聲 Czech: bublat Danish: klukke Dutch: kabbelen Estonian: vulisema Finnish: solista French: gazouiller German: plätschern Greek: μουρμουρίζω, κελαρύζω Hungarian: csobog Icelandic: niða Indonesian: gemericik Italian: mormorare
Japanese: さらさらと音をたてる Korean: 졸졸 소리내며 흐르다 Latvian: čalot; burbuļot Lithuanian: čiurlenti Norwegian: klukke Polish: szemrać Portuguese (Brazil): murmurar Portuguese (Portugal): rumorejar Romanian: a susura Russian: журчать Slovak: bublať Slovenian: žuboreti Spanish: murmullar Swedish: sorla Turkish: çağıldamak, şırıldamak
babble [ˈbӕbl] noun
such talk or noises
Arabic: ثَرْثَره ، خَرير Chinese (Simplified): 胡言乱语 Chinese (Traditional): 胡言亂語 Czech: blábol, bublání Danish: knever; snak; palaver Dutch: geklets, gekabbel Estonian: lalin, vulin Finnish: höpinä, solina French: babil(lage) German: das Gestammel,das Geplätscher Greek: μουρμουρητό, κελάρυσμα Hungarian: gügyögés; csobogás Icelandic: hjal, babl Indonesian: ocehan, celoteh Italian: balbettio; mormorio
Japanese: おしゃべり Korean: 분명치 않은 말; 졸졸 흐르는 소리 Latvian: pļāpāšana; vāvuļošana; čalošana; burbuļošana Lithuanian: tauškimas, čiurlenimas Norwegian: babling, pludring Polish: paplanina, szmer Portuguese (Brazil): tagarelice, murmúrio Portuguese (Portugal): tagarelice Romanian: trăncăneală; bolboroseală Russian: бормотание; журчание Slovak: táranie; bublanie Slovenian: žuborenje, čebljanje, žvrgolenje Spanish: murmullo, barboteo Swedish: babbel, sorl Turkish: gevezelik, boş lâf, çağıltı, şırıltı
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary, © 2000-2006 K Dictionaries Ltd.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary -
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Bab"ble\, v. i. [imp. & p. p.
Babbled (?);p. pr. & vb. n.
Babbling .] [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.]
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.
Note: Hounds are said to babble, or to be babbling, when they are too noisy after having found a good scent.
Syn: To prate; prattle; chatter; gossip.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary -
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Bab"ble\, v. i. 1. To utter in an indistinct or incoherent way; to repeat, as words, in a childish way without understanding.
These [words] he used to babble in all companies. --Arbuthnot.
2. To disclose by too free talk, as a secret.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary -
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Bab"ble\, n. 1. Idle talk; senseless prattle; gabble; twaddle. "This is mere moral babble." --Milton.
2. Inarticulate speech; constant or confused murmur.
The babble of our young children. --Darwin.
The babble of the stream. --Tennyson.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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