idle talk or rumor, esp. about the personal or private affairs of others: the endless gossip about Hollywood stars.
2.
light, familiar talk or writing.
3.
Also, gos·sip·er, gos·sip·per.a person given to tattling or idle talk.
4.
Chiefly BritishDialect. a godparent.
5.
Archaic. a friend, esp. a woman.
–verb (used without object)
6.
to talk idly, esp. about the affairs of others; go about tattling.
–verb (used with object)
7.
Chiefly BritishDialect. to stand godparent to.
8.
Archaic. to repeat like a gossip.
[Origin: bef. 1050; ME gossib, godsib(be), OE godsibb, orig. godparent, equiv. to godGod+ sibb related; see sib1]
—Related forms
gos·sip·ing·ly, adverb
—Synonyms 1. small talk, hearsay, palaver, chitchat. Gossip,scandal apply to idle talk and newsmongering about the affairs of others. Gossip is light chat or talk: to trade gossip about the neighbors. Scandal is rumor or general talk that is damaging to reputation; it is usually more or less malicious: The town never lived down the election scandal. 3. chatterer, talker, gabbler, rumormonger. 6. chatter, prattle, prate, palaver.
Rumor or talk of a personal, sensational, or intimate nature.
A person who habitually spreads intimate or private rumors or facts.
Trivial, chatty talk or writing.
A close friend or companion.
Chiefly British A godparent.
intr.v.
gos·siped, gos·sip·ing, gos·sips
To engage in or spread gossip.
[Middle English godsib, gossip, godparent, from Old English godsibb : god, god; see god + sibb, kinsman; see s(w)e- in Indo-European roots.]
gos'sip·er n., gos'sip·ry n., gos'sip·y adj.
Synonyms: These verbs mean to engage in or communicate idle, indiscreet talk: gossiping about the neighbors; can't keep a secret—he always blabs; is disliked for tattling on mischief-makers.
O.E. godsibb "godparent," from God + sibb "relative" (see sibling). Extended in M.E. to "any familiar acquaintance" (1362), especially to woman friends invited to attend a birth, later to "anyone engaging in familiar or idle talk" (1566). Sense extended 1811 to "trifling talk, groundless rumor." The verb meaning "to talk idly about the affairs of others" is from 1627.
God\ (g[o^]d), n. [AS. god; akin to OS. & D. god, OHG. got, G. gott, Icel. gu[eth], go[eth], Sw. & Dan. gud, Goth. gup, prob. orig. a p. p. from a root appearing in Skr. h[=u], p. p. h[=u]ta, to call upon, invoke, implore. [root]30. Cf. Goodbye, Gospel, Gossip.]1. A being conceived of as possessing supernatural power, and to be propitiated by sacrifice, worship, etc.; a divinity; a deity; an object of worship; an idol. He maketh a god, and worshipeth it. --Is. xliv. 15. The race of Israel . . . bowing lowly down To bestial gods. --Milton. 2. The Supreme Being; the eternal and infinite Spirit, the Creator, and the Sovereign of the universe; Jehovah. God is a Spirit; and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. --John iv. 24. 3. A person or thing deified and honored as the chief good; an object of supreme regard. Whose god is their belly. --Phil. iii. 19. 4. Figuratively applied to one who wields great or despotic power. [R.] --Shak. Act of God. (Law) See under Act. Gallery gods, the occupants of the highest and cheapest gallery of a theater. [Colloq.] God's acre, God's field, a burial place; a churchyard. See under Acre. God's house. (a) An almshouse. [Obs.] (b) A church. God's penny, earnest penny. [Obs.] --Beau. & Fl. God's Sunday, Easter.
God"fa`ther\, n. [AS. godf[ae]der. Cf. Gossip.] A man who becomes sponsor for a child at baptism, and makes himself a surety for its Christian training and instruction. There shall be for every Male-child to be baptized, when they can be had, two Godfathers and one Godmother; and for every Female, one Godfather and two Godmothers; and Parents shall be admitted as Sponsors, if it is desired. --Book of Common Prayer (Prot. Episc. Ch., U. S. ).
Gos"sip\, n. [OE. gossib, godsib, a relation or sponsor in baptism, a relation by a religious obligation, AS. godsibb, fr. god + sib alliance, relation; akin to G. sippe, Goth. sibja, and also to Skr. sabh[=a] assembly.]1. A sponsor; a godfather or a godmother. Should a great lady that was invited to be a gossip, in her place send her kitchen maid, 't would be ill taken. --Selden. 2. A friend or comrade; a companion; a familiar and customary acquaintance. [Obs.] My noble gossips, ye have been too prodigal. --Shak. 3. One who runs house to house, tattling and telling news; an idle tattler. The common chat of gossips when they meet. --Dryden. 4. The tattle of a gossip; groundless rumor. Bubbles o'er like a city with gossip, scandal, and spite. --Tennyson.
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