▪ I. babble, v.
(ˈbæb(ə)l)
Forms: 3–4 babel, 4–8 -le, 6 -yl, -il, 6– babble.
[Cf. Du. and LG. babbelen, Ger. pappelen (bappelen), Da. bable, Icel. babbla (not known in OE., ON., OHG); F. babill-er, 15th c. in Littré: cf. also It. babbolare to play the baby. In some of these languages probably adopted from others; in none can its history be carried far back; as yet it is known in English as early as anywhere else. Probably formed (with frequentative suffix -le; cf. prattle) on the repeated syllabic ba, ba, one of the earliest articulate sounds made by infants, fitly used to express childish prattle. No direct connexion with Babel can be traced; though association with that may have affected the senses.]
I. intr.
1. To make imperfect attempts at speech, like a child; to utter inarticulate or indistinct sounds.
| 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. v. 8 And so I babelide [v.r. bablide, blaberde, blaberid] on my Beodes. 1534 More Comf. agst. Trib. ii. Wks. 1187/2 They heard her tonge bable in her head..after that the head was fro the bodye. 1560 Disob. Child in Hazl. Dodsl. II. 295 When the child waxeth somewhat old, For meat and drink he begins to babble. 1607 Hieron Wks. I. 149 Nurses doe halfe chew the meate to the little ones, and doe babble with them in their owne stammering and vnperfite language. 1842 Tennyson Dora 132 And babbled for the golden seal, that hung From Allan's watch. |
2. To talk childishly, to prattle; to talk incoherently or foolishly; to utter meaningless words.
| 1230 [see babbling ppl. a. 2]. 1503 Hawes Examp. Virt. vii. 102 For ye without wytte sholde alway bable. 1599 Shakes. Hen. V, ii. iii. 17 (Theobald), And 'a babled of greene fields. 1610 Bp. Carleton Jurisd. 248 As they bable in their decretals. 1799 Sheridan Pizarro i. i, They only babble who practise not reflection. 1838 Dickens Nich. Nick. i. 4 His reason went astray..for he babbled, for a long time, about the generosity and goodness of his brother. |
3. To talk excessively or inopportunely; to chatter, prate.
| c 1510 Barclay Mirr. Good Mann. (1570) A j, Olde men which haue vsed in time passed to bable In barbarike language. 1526 Tindale Matt. vi. 7 When ye praye, bable not moche, as the gentyls do. 1599 Shakes. Much Ado iii. iii. 36 For the Watch to babble and talke..is not to be indured. 1663 Bp. Patrick Parab. Pilgr. 227 Ever chattering and babling as if they had obtained a patent for prating. 1847 Tennyson Princ. iii. 237 And let me tell you, girl, Howe'er you babble, great deeds cannot die. |
4. transf. of streams, brooks, etc.; also of young birds, and spec. of hounds that give tongue too loudly or without reason.
| 1399 Pol. Poems (1859) I. 395 The nedy nestlingis..bablid with her billis. 1611 Markham Countr. Content. ii. iii. 22 If any young Hound will..run babling away without the scent. 1777 Sir W. Jones Pal. Fort. 27 Echo babling by the mountain's side. 1812 Combe (Dr. Syntax) Pictur. xxi. (D.) And when they babble in their din, I am a special whipper-in. 1860 Tennyson Brook, I bubble into eddying bays, I babble on the pebbles. |
† 5. ? To waver, oscillate, quiver. Obs. [Perhaps a distinct word.]
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 20/1 Bablyn, or waveryn, Librillo. |
II. transitive.
6. To repeat or utter with meaningless iteration; to speak foolishly or incoherently; to prate.
| c 1418 Pol. Poems (1859) II. 244 To bable the Bible day and niȝt. 1548 Coverdale Erasm. Par. Rom. Prol., Though he babil neuer so many thinges of fayth and good workes. 1651 Wittie tr. Primrose's Pop. Err. iv. xlviii. 405 That which he babbles concerning the spirit of the World. 1847 Barham Ingol. Leg. (1877) 232 Mere unmeaning talk her parch'd lips babbled now. |
7. To reveal by talking or chattering. Cf. blab.
| 1562 J. Heywood Prov. & Epigr. (1867) 96 Who heareth all, And all bableth. 1791–1824 Disraeli Cur. Lit. (1859) II. 338 The queen..impatiently babbled the plot. 1852 D. Mitchell Dream Life 15 Griefs too sacred to be babbled to the world. |
▪ II. babble, n.
(ˈbæb(ə)l)
Forms: 5–6 bable, 6– babble. See bibble-babble n.
[f. the vb. Cf. F. babil, 15th c. in Littré.]
1. Inarticulate or imperfect speech, such as that of infants; prattle.
| 1668 R. Lestrange Vis. Quev. (1708) 5 The Conjurer granted my request, and the Spirit went on with his Babble. 1864 Tennyson En. Ard. 607 The babes, their babble. 1871 Darwin Desc. Man ii. 55 Man has an instinctive tendency to speak, as we see in the babble of our young children. |
2. Idle, foolish, or unseasonable talk; prating.
| c 1460 Play Sacr. 648 Avoyde fealows, I loue not your bable. 1513 More Rich. III Wks. 57/1 Neither mute nor ful of bable. 1658 Bramhall Consecr. Bps. vi. 138 He had greater matters to trouble his head withall, then Mr. Holywoods bables. 1865 Carlyle Fredk. Gt. X. xxi. ix. 182 A great deal of unwise babble on this subject. |
3. Confused murmur, as of a stream.
| 1616 Beaum. & Fl. Wit without M. v. 164 This Sack has fill'd my head so full of bables, I am almost mad. 1870 Morris Earthly Par. II. iii. 13 Nought he seemed to hear Save the brook's babble. |
4. Telephony. (See quots.)
| 1930 Bell Syst. Techn. Jrnl. IX. 489 Babble is the name given to the effect produced by a number of different [telephone] circuits crosstalking into a particular circuit at a given time and producing an unintelligible murmur. 1960 Gloss. Terms Telecommunic. (B.S.I.) 152 Babble, the aggregate crosstalk from a number of disturbing sources. |