tɔ:k v. & n. --v. 1 intr. (often foll. by
to, with) converse or
communicate ideas by
spoken words. 2 intr.
have the power of
speech. 3 intr. (foll. by about) a have as the
subject of
discussion. b (in imper.) colloq. as an
emphatic statement (talk
about expense! It
cost me ø50). 4 tr. express or utter in words;
discuss (you are
talking nonsense; talked cricket
all day). 5 tr.
use (a language) in speech (is talking Spanish). 6 intr. (foll. by at)
address pompously. 7 tr. (usu. foll. by
into,
out of)
bring into a specified
condition etc. by talking (talked
himself hoarse; how
did you talk
them into it?; talked them out of the difficulty). 8 intr. reveal (esp. secret)
information;
betray secrets. 9 intr.
gossip (people are
beginning to talk). 10 intr. have
influence (money talks). 11 intr. communicate by
radio. --n. 1
conversation or talking. 2 a
particular mode of speech (baby-talk). 3 an
informal address or
lecture. 4 a
rumour or gossip (there is talk of a merger). b
its theme (their
success was the talk of the town). 5 (often in pl.) extended discussions or negotiations. øknow
what one is talking about be
expert or
authoritative.
now you're talking colloq. I like what you
say,
suggest, etc. talk
away 1
consume (time) in talking. 2
carry on talking (talk away! I'm listening). talk
back 1
reply defiantly. 2
respond on a two-way radio
system. talk
big colloq. talk boastfully. talk down to
speak patronizingly or condescendingly to. talk a
person down 1
silence a person by greater loudness or persistence. 2 bring (a
pilot or aircraft) to
landing by radio instructions
from the ground. talk the hind
leg off a
donkey talk incessantly. talk
nineteen to the
dozen see DOZEN. talk of 1 discuss or
mention. 2 (often foll. by
verbal noun) express
some intention of (talked of
moving to London). talk of the
town what is
being talked about
generally. talk out
Brit.
block the
course of (a bill in Parliament) by prolonging discussion to the
time of
adjournment. talk
over discuss at
length. talk a person over (or round)
gain agreement or
compliance from a person by talking. talk
shop talk,
esp. tediously or inopportunely, about one's
occupation,
business, etc. talk
show = chat show (see CHAT(1)). talk
tall boast. talk
through one's
hat (or neck) colloq. 1
exaggerate. 2 bluff. 3 talk wildly or nonsensically. talk to
reprove or
scold (a person). talk to
oneself soliloquize. talk
turkey see TURKEY. talk up discuss (a subject) in
order to
arouse interest in
it. you can't (or can) talk colloq. a reproof
that the person addressed is
just as
culpable etc. in the
matter at
issue. øøtalker n. [ME talken
frequent.
verb f.
TALE or TELL(1)]