Adjacent Words

Talk definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

TALK, v.i. tauk.
1. To converse familiarly; to speak, as in familiar discourse, when two or more persons interchange thoughts.
I will buy with you, sell with you, talk with you; but I will not eat with you.
In Aesop's time
When all things talk'd, and talk'd in rhyme.
I will come down and talk with thee. Numbers 11.
Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way? Luke 24.
2. To prate; to speak impertinently.
3. To talk of, to relate; to tell; to give account. Authors talk of the wonderful remains of Palmyra.
The natural histories of Switzerland talk much of the fall of these rocks, and the great damage done.
So shall I talk of thy wondrous works. Psalms 119.
4. To speak; to reason; to confer.
Let me talk with thee of thy judgments. Jeremiah 12.
To talk to, in familiar language, to advise or exhort; or to reprove gently. I will talk to my son respecting his conduct.
TALK, n. tauk. Familiar converse; mutual discourse; that which is uttered by one person in familiar conversation, or the mutual converse of two or more.
Should a man full of talk be justified? Job 11.
In various talk th' instructive hours they past.
1. Report; rumor.
I hear a talk up and down of raising money.
2. Subject of discourse. This noble achievement is the talk of the whole town.
3. Among the Indians of North America, a public conference, as respecting peace or war, negotiation and the like; or an official verbal communication made from them to another nation or its agents, or made to them by the same.
TALK, a mineral. [See Talck.]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: an exchange of ideas via conversation; "let's have more work and less talk around here" [syn: talk, talking]
2: discussion; (`talk about' is a less formal alternative for `discussion of'); "his poetry contains much talk about love and anger"
3: the act of giving a talk to an audience; "I attended an interesting talk on local history"
4: a speech that is open to the public; "he attended a lecture on telecommunications" [syn: lecture, public lecture, talk]
5: idle gossip or rumor; "there has been talk about you lately" [syn: talk, talk of the town] v
1: exchange thoughts; talk with; "We often talk business"; "Actions talk louder than words" [syn: talk, speak]
2: express in speech; "She talks a lot of nonsense"; "This depressed patient does not verbalize" [syn: talk, speak, utter, mouth, verbalize, verbalise]
3: use language; "the baby talks already"; "the prisoner won't speak"; "they speak a strange dialect" [syn: speak, talk]
4: reveal information; "If you don't oblige me, I'll talk!"; "The former employee spilled all the details" [syn: spill, talk]
5: divulge confidential information or secrets; "Be careful--his secretary talks" [syn: spill the beans, let the cat out of the bag, talk, tattle, blab, peach, babble, sing, babble out, blab out] [ant: keep one's mouth shut, keep quiet, shut one's mouth]
6: deliver a lecture or talk; "She will talk at Rutgers next week"; "Did you ever lecture at Harvard?" [syn: lecture, talk]

Merriam Webster's

I. verb Etymology: Middle English; akin to Old English talu tale Date: 13th century transitive verb 1. to deliver or express in speech ; utter 2. to make the subject of conversation or discourse ; discuss <talk business> 3. to influence, affect, or cause by talking <talked them into going> 4. to use (a language) for conversing or communicating ; speak intransitive verb 1. a. to express or exchange ideas by means of spoken words b. to convey information or communicate in any way (as with signs or sounds) <can make a trumpet talk> <make the computer talk to the printer> 2. to use speech ; speak 3. a. to speak idly ; prate b. gossip c. to reveal secret or confidential information 4. to give a talk ; lecture • talker noun II. noun Date: 14th century 1. the act or an instance of talking ; speech 2. a way of speaking ; language 3. pointless or fruitless discussion ; verbiage 4. a formal discussion, negotiation, or exchange of views — often used in plural 5. a. mention, report b. rumor, gossip 6. the topic of interested comment, conversation, or gossip <it's the talk of the town> 7. a. address, lecture b. written analysis or discussion presented in an informal or conversational manner 8. communicative sounds or signs resembling or functioning as talk <bird talk>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v. & n. --v. 1 intr. (often foll. by to, with) converse or communicate ideas by spoken words. 2 intr. have the power of speech. 3 intr. (foll. by about) a have as the subject of discussion. b (in imper.) colloq. as an emphatic statement (talk about expense! It cost me £50). 4 tr. express or utter in words; discuss (you are talking nonsense; talked cricket all day). 5 tr. use (a language) in speech (is talking Spanish). 6 intr. (foll. by at) address pompously. 7 tr. (usu. foll. by into, out of) bring into a specified condition etc. by talking (talked himself hoarse; how did you talk them into it?; talked them out of the difficulty). 8 intr. reveal (esp. secret) information; betray secrets. 9 intr. gossip (people are beginning to talk). 10 intr. have influence (money talks). 11 intr. communicate by radio. --n. 1 conversation or talking. 2 a particular mode of speech (baby-talk). 3 an informal address or lecture. 4 a rumour or gossip (there is talk of a merger). b its theme (their success was the talk of the town). 5 (often in pl.) extended discussions or negotiations. Phrases and idioms: know what one is talking about be expert or authoritative. now you're talking colloq. I like what you say, suggest, etc. talk away 1 consume (time) in talking. 2 carry on talking (talk away! I'm listening). talk back 1 reply defiantly. 2 respond on a two-way radio system. talk big colloq. talk boastfully. talk down to speak patronizingly or condescendingly to. talk a person down 1 silence a person by greater loudness or persistence. 2 bring (a pilot or aircraft) to landing by radio instructions from the ground. talk the hind leg off a donkey talk incessantly. talk nineteen to the dozen see DOZEN. talk of 1 discuss or mention. 2 (often foll. by verbal noun) express some intention of (talked of moving to London). talk of the town what is being talked about generally. talk out Brit. block the course of (a bill in Parliament) by prolonging discussion to the time of adjournment. talk over discuss at length. talk a person over (or round) gain agreement or compliance from a person by talking. talk shop talk, esp. tediously or inopportunely, about one's occupation, business, etc. talk show = chat show (see CHAT(1)). talk tall boast. talk through one's hat (or neck) colloq. 1 exaggerate. 2 bluff. 3 talk wildly or nonsensically. talk to reprove or scold (a person). talk to oneself soliloquize. talk turkey see TURKEY. talk up discuss (a subject) in order to arouse interest in it. you can't (or can) talk colloq. a reproof that the person addressed is just as culpable etc. in the matter at issue. Derivatives: talker n. Etymology: ME talken frequent. verb f. TALE or TELL(1)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Talk Talk, v. t. 1. To speak freely; to use for conversing or communicating; as, to talk French. 2. To deliver in talking; to speak; to utter; to make a subject of conversation; as, to talk nonsense; to talk politics. 3. To consume or spend in talking; -- often followed by away; as, to talk away an evening. 4. To cause to be or become by talking. ``They would talk themselves mad.'' --Shak. To talk over. (a) To talk about; to have conference respecting; to deliberate upon; to discuss; as, to talk over a matter or plan. (b) To change the mind or opinion of by talking; to convince; as, to talk over an opponent.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Talk Talk, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Talked; p. pr. & vb. n. Talking.] [Cf. LG. talk talk, gabble, Prov. G. talken to speak indistinctly; or OD. tolken to interpret, MHG. tolkan to interpret, to tell, to speak indistinctly, Dan. tolke to interpret, Sw. tolka, Icel. t?lka to interpret, t?lkr an interpreter, Lith. tulkas an interpreter, tulkanti, tulk[=o]ti, to interpret, Russ. tolkovate to interpret, to talk about; or perhaps fr. OE. talien to speak (see Tale, v. i. & n.).] 1. To utter words; esp., to converse familiarly; to speak, as in familiar discourse, when two or more persons interchange thoughts. I will buy with you, sell with you, talk with you, walk with you, and so following, but I will not eat with you. --Shak. 2. To confer; to reason; to consult. Let me talk with thee of thy judgments. --Jer. xii. 1. 3. To prate; to speak impertinently. [Colloq.] To talk of, to relate; to tell; to give an account of; as, authors talk of the wonderful remains of Palmyra. ``The natural histories of Switzerland talk much of the fall of these rocks, and the great damage done.'' --Addison. To talk to, to advise or exhort, or to reprove gently; as, I will talk to my son respecting his conduct. [Colloq.]

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Talk Talk, n. 1. The act of talking; especially, familiar converse; mutual discourse; that which is uttered, especially in familiar conversation, or the mutual converse of two or more. In various talk the instructive hours they passed. --Pope. Their talk, when it was not made up of nautical phrases, was too commonly made up of oaths and curses. --Macaulay. 2. Report; rumor; as, to hear talk of war. I hear a talk up and down of raising our money. --Locke. 3. Subject of discourse; as, his achievment is the talk of the town. Syn: Conversation; colloquy; discourse; chat; dialogue; conference; communication. See Conversation.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(talks, talking, talked) Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. When you talk, you use spoken language to express your thoughts, ideas, or feelings. He was too distressed to talk... The boys all began to talk at once... VERB: V, V • Talk is also a noun. That's not the kind of talk one usually hears from accountants. N-UNCOUNT 2. If you talk to someone, you have a conversation with them. You can also say that two people talk. We talked and laughed a great deal... I talked to him yesterday... When she came back, they were talking about American food... Can't you see I'm talking? Don't interrupt. V-RECIP: pl-n V, V to/with n, pl-n V about n, V (non-recip), also V to n about n • Talk is also a noun. We had a long talk about her father, Tony, who was a friend of mine. = conversation N-COUNT 3. If you talk to someone, you tell them about the things that are worrying you. You can also say that two people talk. Your first step should be to talk to a teacher or school counselor... We need to talk alone... Do ring if you want to talk about it... I have to sort some things out. We really needed to talk. V-RECIP: V to n, pl-n V, V about n (non-recip), V (non-recip) • Talk is also a noun. I think it's time we had a talk. N-COUNT 4. If you talk on or about something, you make an informal speech telling people what you know or think about it. She will talk on the issues she cares passionately about including education and nursery care... He intends to talk to young people about the dangers of AIDS. = speak VERB: V on/about n, V to n • Talk is also a noun. A guide gives a brief talk on the history of the site... N-COUNT: oft N on/about n 5. Talks are formal discussions intended to produce an agreement, usually between different countries or between employers and employees. Talks between striking railway workers and the Polish government have broken down... N-PLURAL: oft N with/between n, N on/about n 6. If one group of people talks to another, or if two groups talk, they have formal discussions in order to do a deal or produce an agreement. We're talking to some people about opening an office in London... The company talked with many potential investors... It triggered broad speculation that GM and Jaguar might be talking. V-RECIP: V to n about n/-ing, V with/to n, pl-n V 7. When different countries or different sides in a dispute talk, or talk to each other, they discuss their differences in order to try and settle the dispute. The Foreign Minister said he was ready to talk to any country that had no hostile intentions... They are collecting information in preparation for the day when the two sides sit down and talk... John Reid has to find a way to make both sides talk to each other... The speed with which the two sides came to the negotiating table shows that they are ready to talk. V-RECIP: V to n, pl-n V, V to/with pron-recip, V (non-recip) 8. If people are talking about another person or are talking, they are discussing that person. Everyone is talking about him... People will talk, but you have to get on with your life. VERB: V about/of n, V • Talk is also a noun. There has been a lot of talk about me getting married... N-UNCOUNT: usu N about/of n/-ing, N that 9. If someone talks when they are being held by police or soldiers, they reveal important or secret information, usually unwillingly. They'll talk, they'll implicate me. VERB: V 10. If you talk a particular language or talk with a particular accent, you use that language or have that accent when you speak. You don't sound like a foreigner talking English... They were amazed that I was talking in an Irish accent. VERB: no passive, V n, V prep/adv 11. If you talk something such as politics or sport, you discuss it. The guests were mostly middle-aged men talking business. VERB: no passive, V n 12. You can use talk to say what you think of the ideas that someone is expressing. For example, if you say that someone is talking sense, you mean that you think the opinions they are expressing are sensible. You must admit George, you're talking absolute rubbish. VERB: V n 13. You can say that you are talking a particular thing to draw attention to your topic or to point out a characteristic of what you are discussing. (SPOKEN) We're talking megabucks this time. VERB: no passive, V n 14. If you say that something such as an idea or threat is just talk, or all talk, you mean that it does not mean or matter much, because people are exaggerating about it or do not really intend to do anything about it. Has much of this actually been tried here? Or is it just talk?... 15. You can say talk about before mentioning a particular expression or situation, when you mean that something is a very striking or clear example of that expression or situation. (INFORMAL) Took us quite a while to get here, didn't it? Talk about Fate moving in a mysterious way!... PHRASE: PHR n/-ing [emphasis] 16. You can use the expression talking of to introduce a new topic that you want to discuss, and to link it to something that has already been mentioned. Belvoir Farms produce a delicious elderflower tea. Talking of elderflower, you might wish to try Elderflower Champagne. PHRASE: PHR n/-ing 17. to talk shop: see shop

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. v. n. 1. Speak, converse. 2. Confer, reason, deliberate. 3. Prattle, prate. II. v. a. 1. Speak, use for conversing. 2. Speak, utter, mention in speaking. III. n. 1. Conversation, converse, colloquy, discourse, conference, communication, dialogue, confabulation, chat, parley, oral intercourse. 2. Report, rumor, bruit, town talk. 3. Subject of discourse, theme.

Foolish Dictionary

A continuous performance playing daily and nightly engagements, with Woman as the star and Man confined in the Family Circle.

Moby Thesaurus

accent, accents, address, advertise, after-dinner speech, air, allocution, analyze, argot, assignment, babble, back-fence gossip, balderdash, balls, ballyhoo, bat the breeze, be in connection, be in contact, be indiscreet, be unguarded, belittle, betray, betray a confidence, blab, blabber, blather, blether, blurt, blurt out, bluster, boast, bosh, brag, bring round, bruit, bull, bull session, bullshit, bunk, bunkum, buzz, cackle, canard, cant, canvass, causerie, chalk talk, chat, chatter, chin, chinfest, chitchat, choice of words, clack, claptrap, clatter, colloque, colloquialize, colloquy, come clean, comment, comment upon, commerce with, common talk, commune with, communicate, communicate with, composition, confab, confabulate, confabulation, confer, conference, confess, consider, consult, consultation, controvert, conversation, converse, converse with, convince, crap, criticize, crow, cry, deal with, debate, declaim, declamation, deliberate, deliberate upon, deliberation, deliver an address, denigrate, deprecate, depreciate, dialect, dialogue, diatribe, diction, diminish, discourse, discourse about, discuss, discussion, disparage, disquisition, dissertation, dither, dope, duologue, elocution, eulogy, exaggerate, examine, exchange, exchange views, exercise, exhortation, exposition, expression, filibuster, flap, flying rumor, forensic, forensic address, formal speech, formulation, funeral oration, gab, gabble, gas, gibber, gibble-gabble, give a talk, give away, go into, go on, gossip, gossiping, gossipmongering, gossipry, grammar, grapevine, grass, groundless rumor, gush, handle, harangue, have dealings with, have intercourse, have truck with, haver, hearsay, hogwash, hokum, hold communication, homework, homily, hooey, hortatory address, hot air, hype, idea afloat, idiom, idle talk, inaugural, inaugural address, info, inform, inform on, information, instruction, interchange, intercommunicate, invective, investigate, jabber, jargon, jargonize, jaw, jeremiad, knock, knock around, language, langue, latrine rumor, leak, lecture, lecture-demonstration, lesson, let drop, let fall, let slip, lingo, lingua, locution, malarkey, manner of speaking, meeting, minimize, moral, moral lesson, morality, moralization, mouth, natter, negotiation, news, news stirring, newsmongering, nonsense, object lesson, on-dit, oral communication, oration, palaver, pan, parlance, parley, parole, pass under review, patois, patronize, patter, peach, pep talk, peroration, personal usage, persuade, philippic, phrase, phraseology, phrasing, piece of gossip, piffle, pitch, platform, plug, poppycock, pour forth, powwow, prate, prattle, prattling, preachment, prepared speech, prepared text, presentation, promote, prose, public speech, publicize, push, put down, question-and-answer session, ramble on, rap, rap session, rapping, rat, rattle, rattle on, reading, reason, reason about, reason the point, recital, recitation, reel off, report, retail gossip, reveal a secret, review, rhetoric, roorback, rubbish, rumble, rumor, run on, sales talk, salutatory, salutatory address, say, screed, scuttlebutt, sermon, set speech, set task, shoot the breeze, sift, sing, skull session, soapbox, speak, speak to, speak with, speaking, speech, speechification, speechify, speeching, spiel, spill, spill the beans, sponsor, spout, spout off, squeal, stool, story, study, stuff and nonsense, stump, support, sway, take the floor, take the stump, take up, tale, talebearing, taletelling, talk about, talk away, talk big, talk down, talk into, talk nonsense, talk of, talk on, talk over, talkathon, talkfest, talking, task, tattle, tattle on, teaching, tell idle tales, tell on, tell secrets, tell tales, tete-a-tete, thresh out, tirade, tittle-tattle, tongue, town talk, traffic with, treat, trialogue, tripe, twaddle, twattle, unconfirmed report, usage, use, use language, use of words, usus loquendi, utter, utterance, valediction, valedictory, valedictory address, vaunt, ventilate, verbalization, verbalize, verbiage, visit, vocalize, voice, waffle, wag the tongue, way of speaking, whisper, wordage, wording, words, yak, yakkety-yak, yakking, yam, yarn