gabble

[ gab-uhl ]

verb (used without object)

, gab·bled, gab·bling.

1. to speak or converse rapidly and unintelligibly; jabber.
2. (of hens, geese, etc.) to cackle.

verb (used with object)

, gab·bled, gab·bling.

1. to utter rapidly and unintelligibly.

noun

1. rapid, unintelligible talk.
2. any quick succession of meaningless sounds.

gabble

/ ˈɡæbəl /

verb

1. to utter (words, etc) rapidly and indistinctly; jabber
2. intr (of geese and some other birds or animals) to utter rapid cackling noises

noun

1. rapid and indistinct speech or noises

Derived Forms

• ˈgabbler, noun

Other Words From

• gabbler noun
• outgabble verb (used with object) outgabbled outgabbling

Word History and Origins

Origin of gabble¹

First recorded in 1570–80; perhaps from Middle Dutch gabbelen, or an expressive formation in English; gab ¹, gob ⁴, -le

Word History and Origins

Origin of gabble¹

C17: from Middle Dutch gabbelen , of imitative origin

Example Sentences

“Doing more with less” is often management-gabble to justify arbitrary budget cuts.

From The Daily Beast

The excitement and gabble were worse than the Dean case, or Federation, and sickened me, for they were all on the wrong track.

From Project Gutenberg

But no flight of arrows rattled among the boughs, and all we heard was the gabble of excited voices.

From Project Gutenberg

The lovely gabble of the cranes and the wild swans comes back to me whenever I think of the place.

From Project Gutenberg

"You must be drunk yourself to come here waking me up in the middle of the night, to hear this idle gabble," said Louis angrily.

From Project Gutenberg

Two incidents alone relieved the dead level of idiocy and incomprehensible gabble.

From Project Gutenberg