babble

babble
{{11}}babble (n.) "idle talk," c.1500, from BABBLE (Cf. babble) (v.). In 16c., commonly in reduplicated form bibble-babble.
{{12}}babble (v.) mid-13c., babeln "to prattle, chatter," akin to other Western European words for stammering and prattling (Cf. Swedish babbla, O.Fr. babillier) attested from the same era, some of which probably were borrowed from others, but etymologists cannot now determine which were original. Probably imitative of baby-talk, in any case (Cf. L. babulus "babbler," Gk. barbaros "non-Greek-speaking"). "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.1400. Related: Babbled; babbling.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Babble — Bab ble, n. 1. Idle talk; senseless prattle; gabble; twaddle. This is mere moral babble. Milton. [1913 Webster] 2. Inarticulate speech; constant or confused murmur. [1913 Webster] The babble of our young children. Darwin. [1913 Webster] The… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Babble — Bab ble, v. t. 1. To utter in an indistinct or incoherent way; to repeat, as words, in a childish way without understanding. [1913 Webster] These [words] he used to babble in all companies. Arbuthnot. [1913 Webster] 2. To disclose by too free… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Babble — Bab ble (b[a^]b b l), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Babbled} (b[a^]b b ld); 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… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • babble — [n] trivial talk, often incessant blubbering, burble, chatter, clamor, drivel, gab, gabble, gibberish, gossip, gushing, idle talk, jabber, jabbering, jargon, murmur, muttering, prattle, ranting, tattling; concepts 266,278 Ant. quiet, sense,… …   New thesaurus

  • -babble — [bab′əl] combining form jargon or wordy and confusing language related to or characteristic of a (specified) field, group, etc.: often used in nonce compounds [technobabble] * * * …   Universalium

  • babble — index jargon (unintelligible language), prattle Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • babble — vb gabble, jabber, prattle, chatter, patter, prate, gibber, gab, *chat Analogous words: *gossip, blab, tattle: converse, talk, *speak …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • babble — ► VERB 1) talk rapidly in a foolish, excited, or incomprehensible way. 2) (of a stream) make a continuous murmur as the water flows over stones. ► NOUN ▪ the sound of babbling. DERIVATIVES babbler noun. ORIGIN Low German babbelen, or an… …   English terms dictionary

  • -babble — [bab′əl] combining form jargon or wordy and confusing language related to or characteristic of a (specified) field, group, etc.: often used in nonce compounds [technobabble] …   English World dictionary

  • babble — [bab′əl] vi. babbled, babbling [ME bablen; akin to Norw bable, Swed babbla, Ger babbeln, to prattle, L balbutire, to stammer, Sans balbuthah, stammerer: of echoic orig.] 1. to make incoherent sounds, as a baby does; prattle 2. to talk foolishly… …   English World dictionary

  • babble — I n. childish; confused; incessant babble II v. 1) to babble ceaselessly, incessantly 2) (B) he babbled a few words to her 3) (D; intr.) to babble about * * * [ bæb(ə)l] confused incessant babble incessantly (B) he babbled a few words to her (D;… …   Combinatory dictionary

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