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blab
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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English
Etymology
From Middle English blabben (“to talk foolishly”), perhaps from Middle English blabbe (“idle talk; talebearer”). Compare Middle English blaberen (“to blabber, babble”), Middle High German blabezen (“to stammer, babble”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /blæb/
Audio (Southern England): (file)
- Rhymes: -æb
Verb
blab (third-person singular simple present blabs, present participle blabbing, simple past and past participle blabbed)
- (ambitransitive) To tell tales; to gossip without reserve or discretion.
- 1855, Alfred Tennyson, “(please specify the page)”, in Maud, and Other Poems, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC:
- And yonder a vile physician blabbing / The case of his patient.
- 1998, "Helga Blabs It All", TV episode in season 3 of Hey Arnold!, animated television series created by Craig Bartlett
- Helga Blabs It All.
- to speak carelessly or excessively
Synonyms
- See also Thesaurus:prattle
Derived terms
Translations
tell tales
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Noun
blab (countable and uncountable, plural blabs)
- (countable) One who blabs; a babbler; a telltale; a gossip or gossiper.
- 1951, C. S. Lewis, Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia:
- "You'd better have shoved your grey snout in a hornets' nest, Badger, than suggest that I am the blab," said Nikabrik.
- (uncountable) Gossip; prattle.
- 1976, David Toulmin, Blown Seed, page 148:
- Audie never liked him because he was further in with old Craig than he was, bragging and blowing about his work and the things he could do, while Audie sat quiet as a mouse listening to his blab.
Synonyms
- (one who blabs): See also Thesaurus:chatterbox or Thesaurus:gossiper
- (gossip, prattle): See also Thesaurus:chatter or Thesaurus:gossip
Derived terms
Translations
gossip — see gossip
Related terms
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