Noun: chatter cha-tu(r)
- Rapid, continuous, and often trivial talk or communication
"The constant yakety-chatter from the next room made it hard to concentrate";
- yak [informal], yack [informal], yakety-yak [informal], yackety-yak [informal], yatter [informal]
- The rapid series of noises made by the parts of a machine
"The chatter of the sewing machine indicated it needed oiling";
- chattering
- The high-pitched continuing noise made by animals (birds or monkeys)
"The chatter of monkeys filled the jungle";
- chattering
- Make a clicking sound repeatedly or uncontrollably
"Chattering teeth";
- click
- Cut unevenly with a chattering tool
"The faulty machine chattered the edge of the metal sheet"
- Talk socially without exchanging too much information
"the men were sitting in the cafe and chattering";
- chew the fat [informal], shoot the breeze [N. Amer, informal], chat, confabulate, confab [informal], chitchat [informal], chit-chat [informal], chaffer, natter [informal], gossip, jaw [informal], claver [UK, dialect], visit [N. Amer, informal], gas [informal], chew the rag [informal], gab [informal], chinwag [Brit, informal]
- Speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly
"The old man chattered on about the weather";
- piffle [informal], palaver [informal], prate, tittle-tattle, twaddle [informal], clack [informal], maunder, prattle, blab [informal], gibber, tattle, blabber [informal], gabble, vapour [Brit, Cdn], vapor [US], rabbit [Brit, informal], jibber-jabber, witter [Brit, informal], twattle [UK, dialect], yatter [Brit, informal], yabber [informal]
- Make noise as if chattering away
"The magpies were chattering in the trees"
Derived forms: chatters, chattering, chattered
Type of: converse, cut, discourse, go, mouth, noise, sound, speak, talk, talking, utter, verbalise [Brit], verbalize
Encyclopedia: Chatter