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   Bab·ble

   /ˈbab(ə)l/

   

   verb

   • 1. talk rapidly and continuously in a foolish, excited, or incomprehensible way: "they babbled on about their vacation" Similar prattlerattle ongabblechatterjabbertwittergo onrun onpraterambleburbleblatherbletherblithermaunderdrivelpatteryapjibber-jabberslabberinformal:gabyakyackety-yakyabberyatteryammerblabberjawgasshoot one's mouth offwitterrabbitchunternatterwafflerun off at the mouthmagarchaic:twaddleclacktwattle
   • ▪ utter something rapidly and incoherently: "I gasped and stared and babbled, “Look at this!”"
   • ▪ reveal something secret or confidential by talking carelessly: "he babbled to another convict while he was in jail" Similar blurt outblabrevealdivulgelet sliplet outgive awaycome out withinformal:spill
   • 2. (of flowing water) make a continuous murmuring sound: "the shallow river babbled over smooth rocks" Similar burblemurmurgurglepurltinkleliterary:plash

   noun

   • 1. the sound of people talking simultaneously: "the answers were difficult to hear amid the babble of conversation"
   • ▪ foolish, excited, or confused talk: "her soft voice stopped his babble"
   • 2. the continuous murmuring sound of flowing water: "the babble of a brook"

   Word Origin Middle English: from Middle Low German babbelen, or an independent English formation, as a frequentative based on the repeated syllable ba, typical of a child's early speech.

   Derivatives

   • 1. babblement noun

   Scrabble Points: 12

   • B

     3

   • A

     1

   • B

     3

   • B

     3

   • L

     1

   • E

     1

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