chattering

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chat·ter

(chăt′ər)

v. chat·tered, chat·ter·ing, chat·ters

v.intr.

1. To talk rapidly, incessantly, and on trivial subjects; jabber.

2. To utter a rapid series of short, inarticulate, speechlike sounds: birds chattering in the trees.

3. To click quickly and repeatedly: Our teeth chattered from the cold.

4. To vibrate or rattle while in operation: A power drill will chatter if the bit is loose.

v.tr.

To utter in a rapid, usually thoughtless way: chattered a long reply.

1. Idle, trivial talk.

2. Communication, such as email and cell phone calls, between people who are involved in terrorism or espionage, as monitored by a government agency.

3. The sharp, rapid sounds made by some birds and animals.

4. A series of quick rattling or clicking sounds.

[Middle English chateren, of imitative origin.]

chat′ter·er n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

chattering

(ˈtʃætərɪŋ)

1. rapid and continuous talk

2. the high-pitched, repetitive noises made by a bird, monkey, etc

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

Chattering

a company of choughs; starlings collectively.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	chattering - the rapid series of noises made by the parts of a machine chatter noise - sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound); "he enjoyed the street noises"; "they heard indistinct noises of people talking"; "during the firework display that ended the gala the noise reached 98 decibels"
	2.	chattering - the high-pitched continuing noise made by animals (birds or monkeys) chatter noise - sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound); "he enjoyed the street noises"; "they heard indistinct noises of people talking"; "during the firework display that ended the gala the noise reached 98 decibels"

Translations

chattering

[ˈtʃætərɪŋ]

A. N [of person] → parloteo m; (excessive) → charloteo m; [of birds, monkeys] → parloteo m; [of teeth] → castañeteo m

B. CPD the chattering classes NPL (Brit) (pej) → los intelectualoides

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

chattering

n → Geschwätz nt

adj the chattering classes (Brit pej inf) → das Bildungsbürgertum

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

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References in classic literature ?

Let them HEAR me chattering and sighing with winter-cold, all those poor squinting knaves around me!

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The fall through leafy branches and the dizzy heights; the snakes that struck at me as I dodged and leaped away in chattering flight; the wild dogs that hunted me across the open spaces to the timber--these were terrors concrete and actual, happenings and not imaginings, things of the living flesh and of sweat and blood.

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"I will," said the man, "at once show you the Lion himself." The Hunter, turning very pale and chattering with his teeth from fear, replied, "No, thank you.

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`A chattering crow lives out nine generations of aged men, but a stag's life is four times a crow's, and a raven's life makes three stags old, while the phoenix outlives nine ravens, but we, the rich-haired Nymphs, daughters of Zeus the aegis-holder, outlive ten phoenixes.'

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Johnny, instead of immediately obeying the order and taking Michael back to the kennels, lingered in the hope of seeing the orchestra leader whirled chattering around on his stool.

The monkey leader ceased revolving and chattering. The men who had poked him held poles and wires suspended in their hands.

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We approached a deeply interested crowd, and in the midst of it found a fellow wildly chattering and gesticulating over a box on the ground which was covered with a piece of old blanket.

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There was a rushing of many wings, a great chattering and laughing, and the sun came out of the dark sky to show the Wicked Witch surrounded by a crowd of monkeys, each with a pair of immense and powerful wings on his shoulders.

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The little princess was sitting at a small table, chattering with Masha, her maid.

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Chattering and gibbering through the lower branches of the trees came a company of manlike creatures evidently urging on the dog pack.

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He began chattering. "You, you, you," was all I could distinguish at first.

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All during the day the forest about them had been filled with excited birds of brilliant plumage, and dancing, chattering monkeys, who watched these new arrivals and their wonderful nest building operations with every mark of keenest interest and fascination.