chat·ter  (chāt'ər) 
v.
chat·tered, chat·ter·ing, chat·ters
v.
intr.
To talk rapidly, incessantly, and on trivial subjects; jabber. To utter a rapid series of short, inarticulate, speechlike sounds: birds chattering in the trees. To click quickly and repeatedly: Our teeth chattered from the cold. To vibrate or rattle while in operation: A power drill will chatter if the bit is loose.
v.
tr.
To utter in a rapid, usually thoughtless way: chattered a long reply.
n. Idle, trivial talk. Communication, such as e-mail and cell phone calls, between people who are involved in terrorism or espionage, as monitored by a government agency. The sharp, rapid sounds made by some birds and animals. A series of quick rattling or clicking sounds.
[Middle English chateren, of imitative origin.]
chat'ter·er n. |
ər