talk
[ tawk ]
/ tɔk /
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verb (used without object)
to communicate or exchange ideas, information, etc., by speaking: to talk about poetry.
to consult or confer: Talk with your adviser.
to spread a rumor or tell a confidence; gossip.
to chatter or prate.
to employ speech; perform the act of speaking: to talk very softly; to talk into a microphone.
to deliver a speech, lecture, etc.: The professor talked on the uses of comedy in the tragedies of Shakespeare.
to give or reveal confidential or incriminating information: After a long interrogation, the spy finally talked.
to communicate ideas by means other than speech, as by writing, signs, or signals.
Computers. to transmit data, as between computers or between a computer and a terminal.
to make sounds imitative or suggestive of speech.
verb (used with object)
to express in words; utter: to talk sense.
to use (a specified language or idiom) in speaking or conversing: They talk French together for practice.
to discuss: to talk politics.
Informal. (used only in progressive tenses) to focus on; signify or mean; talk about: This isn't a question of a few hundred dollars—we're talking serious money.
to bring, put, drive, influence, etc., by talk: to talk a person to sleep; to talk a person into doing something.
noun
the act of talking; speech; conversation, especially of a familiar or informal kind.
an informal speech or lecture.
a conference or negotiating session: peace talks.
report or rumor; gossip: There is a lot of talk going around about her.
a subject or occasion of talking, especially of gossip: Your wild escapades are the talk of the neighborhood.
mere empty speech: That's just a lot of talk.
a way of talking: a halting, lisping talk.
language, dialect, or lingo.
signs or sounds imitative or suggestive of speech, as the noise made by loose parts in a mechanism.
Verb Phrases
talk around, to bring (someone) over to one's way of thinking; persuade: She sounded adamant over the phone, but I may still be able to talk her around.
talk at,
- to talk to in a manner that indicates that a response is not expected or wanted.
- to direct remarks meant for one person to another person present; speak indirectly to.
talk away, to spend or consume (time) in talking: We talked away the tedious hours in the hospital.
talk back, to reply to a command, request, etc., in a rude or disrespectful manner: Her father never allowed them to talk back.
talk down,
- to overwhelm by force of argument or by loud and persistent talking; subdue by talking.
- to speak disparagingly of; belittle.
- Also talk in. to give instructions to by radio for a ground-controlled landing, especially to a pilot who is unable to make a conventional landing because of snow, fog, etc.
talk down to, to speak condescendingly to; patronize: Children dislike adults who talk down to them.
talk of, to debate as a possibility; discuss: The two companies have been talking of a merger.
talk out,
- to talk until conversation is exhausted.
- to attempt to reach a settlement or understanding by discussion: We arrived at a compromise by talking out the problem.
- British Politics. to thwart the passage of (a bill, motion, etc.) by prolonging discussion until the session of Parliament adjourns.Compare filibuster (def. 5).
talk over,
- to weigh in conversation; consider; discuss.
- to cause (someone) to change an opinion; convince by talking: He became an expert at talking people over to his views.
talk up,
- to promote interest in; discuss enthusiastically.
- to speak without hesitation; speak distinctly and openly: If you don't talk up now, you may not get another chance.
OTHER WORDS FOR talk
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Idioms about talk
talk big, Informal. to speak boastingly; brag: He always talked big, but never amounted to anything.
talk someone's head / ear off, to bore or weary someone by excessive talk; talk incessantly: All I wanted was a chance to read my book, but my seatmate talked my ear off.
- to impede or prevent the passage of (a bill) through filibustering.
- to talk to incessantly or at great length.
talk to death,
Origin of talk
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English talk(i)en “to converse, speak,” derivative (with -k suffix) of tale “speech, discourse,” tale; cognate with Frisian (eastern dialect) talken
synonym study for talk
1. See speak.
OTHER WORDS FROM talk
talk·a·ble, adjectivetalk·a·bil·i·ty, nountalker, nounin·ter·talk, verb (used without object)
non·talk·er, nouno·ver·talk, verbun·der·talk, nounun·talk·ing, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
Words related to talk
How to use talk in a sentence
A senior Democratic aide tells Fortune the party hopes to continue these talks.
Stimulus update: McConnell and Schumer discuss averting a shutdown and economic aid|Lance Lambert|November 20, 2020|FortuneHowever, with both the NHL and NHL Players’ Association in talks, here is what is under consideration and the timetable for some of these decisions.
The NHL, facing more questions than answers, is still targeting a January start|Samantha Pell|November 19, 2020|Washington PostIn Charlotte, Raydiance Swanston began stocking up on disinfecting wipes, toilet paper and hand sanitizer last month, after seeing a rise in local covid-19 cases and hearing talk of another shutdown.
Shoppers are panic-buying toilet paper. This time, there should be enough to go around.|Laura Reiley, Abha Bhattarai|November 19, 2020|Washington PostBaehny declined to comment on whether Moderna and Lonza are in talks about adding more production lines.
Moderna has never distributed a product before. A Swiss company is here to help|Claire Zillman, reporter|November 19, 2020|Fortune
Which makes it worth looking back at some of the trash talk a few years ago between LaVar Ball and Hornets owner Michael Jordan.
On quiet night for NBA draft lottery selections, Anthony Edwards goes No. 1 to Timberwolves|Ben Golliver, Des Bieler|November 19, 2020|Washington PostTo borrow an old right-wing talking point, these people are angry no matter what we do.
Parents are talking about it, schools are talking about it, even kids themselves are talking about it.
How Skinny Is Too Skinny? Israel Bans ‘Underweight’ Models|Carrie Arnold|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEASTTalking about death is never easy, but with food, comfort, and familiarity, a new kind of dinner party is making it easier.
But they [Castro and Chito] must have been talking business.
Like his old man, he keeps it reined in, but when talking about fishing, a true regret seeps out.
Poor Squinty ran and tried to hide under the straw, for he knew the boy was talking about him.
Squinty the Comical Pig|Richard BarnumI do not care very much how you censor or select the reading and talking and thinking of the schoolboy or schoolgirl.
The Salvaging Of Civilisation|H. G. (Herbert George) WellsHer female friend immediately said, "Well, I have been talking away to this dumb man."
Cecilia says they were all talking of it at Maundrell Abbey, where of course it is a peculiarly interesting topic.
Ancestors|Gertrude AthertonSometimes Grandfather Mole would speak to Mrs. Robin, or her husband; for he could hear them talking.
The Tale of Grandfather Mole|Arthur Scott Bailey
British Dictionary definitions for talk
talk
/ (tɔːk) /
verb
(intr; often foll by to or with) to express one's thoughts, feelings, or desires by means of words (to); speak (to)
(intr) to communicate or exchange thoughts by other meanslovers talk with their eyes
(intr usually foll by about) to exchange ideas, pleasantries, or opinions (about)to talk about the weather
(intr) to articulate words; verbalizehis baby can talk
(tr) to give voice to; utterto talk rubbish
(tr) to hold a conversation about; discussto talk business
(intr) to reveal informationthe prisoner talked after torture
(tr) to know how to communicate in (a language or idiom)he talks English
(intr) to spread rumours or gossipwe don't want the neighbours to talk
(intr) to make sounds suggestive of talking
(intr) to be effective or persuasivemoney talks
now you're talking informal at last you're saying something agreeable
talk big to boast or brag
talk shop to speak about one's work, esp when meeting socially, sometimes with the effect of excluding those not similarly employed
talk the talk to speak convincingly on a particular subject, showing apparent mastery of its jargon and themes; often used in combination with the expression walk the walkSee also walk (def. 18b)
you can talk informal you don't have to worry about doing a particular thing yourself
you can't talk informal you yourself are guilty of offending in the very matter you are decrying
noun
a speech or lecturea talk on ancient Rome
an exchange of ideas or thoughtsa business talk with a colleague
idle chatter, gossip, or rumourthere has been a lot of talk about you two
a subject of conversation; themeour talk was of war
(often plural) a conference, discussion, or negotiationtalks about a settlement
a specific manner of speakingchildren's talk
See also talk about, talk at, talk back, talk down, talk into, talk out, talk round, talk through, talk up
Derived forms of talk
talkable, adjectivetalkability, nountalker, nounWord Origin for talk
C13 talkien to talk; related to Old English talu tale, Frisian talken to talk
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with talk
talk
In addition to the idioms beginning with talk
- talk around
- talk at
- talk back
- talk big
- talk dirty
- talk down
- talk down to
- talked out
- talk into
- talk of the town, the
- talk out
- talk out of
- talk over
- talk sense
- talk shop
- talk someone's arm off
- talk through one's hat
- talk to
- talk turkey
- talk up
also see:
- all talk
- dirty joke (talk dirty)
- double talk
- heart to heart (talk)
- look who's talking
- money talks
- now you're talking
- small talk
- straight talk
- sweet talk
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.