[syn: chew the fat, shoot the breeze, chat, confabulate, confab, chitchat, chit-chat, chatter, chaffer, natter, gossip, jaw, claver, visit]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Gossip \Gos"sip\, n. [OE. gossib, godsib, a relation or sponsor
in baptism, a relation by a religious obligation, AS.
godsibb, fr. god + sib alliance, relation; akin to G. sippe,
Goth. sibja, and also to Skr. sabh[=a] assembly.]
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1. A sponsor; a godfather or a godmother.
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Should a great lady that was invited to be a gossip,
in her place send her kitchen maid, 't would be ill
taken. --Selden.
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2. A friend or comrade; a companion; a familiar and customary
acquaintance. [Obs.]
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My noble gossips, ye have been too prodigal. --Shak.
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3. One who runs house to house, tattling and telling news; an
idle tattler.
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The common chat of gossips when they meet. --Dryden.
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4. The tattle of a gossip; groundless rumor.
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Bubbles o'er like a city with gossip, scandal, and
spite. --Tennyson.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Gossip \Gos"sip\, v. t.
To stand sponsor to. [Obs.] --Shak.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Gossip \Gos"sip\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Gossiped; p. pr. & vb.
n. Gossiping.]
1. To make merry. [Obs.] --Shak.
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2. To prate; to chat; to talk much. --Shak.
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3. To run about and tattle; to tell idle tales.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
gossip
n 1: light informal conversation for social occasions [syn:
chitchat, chit-chat, chit chat, small talk, gab,
gabfest, gossip, tittle-tattle, chin wag, chin-
wag, chin wagging, chin-wagging, causerie]
2: a report (often malicious) about the behavior of other
people; "the divorce caused much gossip" [syn: gossip,
comment, scuttlebutt]
3: a person given to gossiping and divulging personal
information about others [syn: gossip, gossiper,
gossipmonger, rumormonger, rumourmonger, newsmonger]
v 1: wag one's tongue; speak about others and reveal secrets or
intimacies; "She won't dish the dirt" [syn: dish the
dirt, gossip]
2: talk socially without exchanging too much information; "the
men were sitting in the cafe and shooting the breeze" [syn:
chew the fat, shoot the breeze, chat, confabulate,
confab, chitchat, chit-chat, chatter, chaffer,
natter, gossip, jaw, claver, visit]