chatter
verb (used without object)
to talk rapidly in a foolish or purposeless way; jabber.
had been chattering
-
past perfect progressiveof chatter.past perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It featured bar patrons who had been chattering or studying phones, their faces rapt with what looked like a mix of curiosity and respect.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 26, 2017
The pilot of the Airbus never answered -- although he had been chattering away to the control tower at Bandar Abbas throughout his brief flight.
From Time Magazine Archive
She had been chattering about the auditions all week.
From "George" by Alex Gino
There he had been, chattering away about Uther Pendragon and Round Tables and battles and Guenever and sword sheaths and things past and things to come—but he had forgotten the most important thing* of afl.
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
She had been chattering for two hours on cervical, dorsal and lumbar vertebrae, without stopping to take breath.
From Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science Volume 11, No. 27, June, 1873 by Various
