blab

English

Etymology

From Middle English blabben (“to talk foolishly”), perhaps from Middle English blabbe (“idle talk; talebearer”). Compare Middle English blaberen (“to blabber, babble”), Middle High German blabezen (“to stammer, babble”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /blæb/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -æb

Verb

blab (third-person singular simple present blabs, present participle blabbing, simple past and past participle blabbed)

1. (transitive, intransitive) To tell tales; to gossip without reserve or discretion.
   • 1855, Alfred Tennyson, “(please specify the page)”, in Maud, and Other Poems, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC:

     And yonder a vile physician blabbing / The case of his patient.

   • 1998, "Helga Blabs It All", TV episode in season 3 of Hey Arnold!, animated television series created by Craig Bartlett

     Helga Blabs It All.

2. to speak carelessly or excessively

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:prattle

Derived terms

• blabmouth
• blab out
• blabtale
• blabtongue

 

Translations

tell tales

• Bulgarian: раздрънквам (bg) (razdrǎnkvam)
• Catalan: xafardejar (ca)
• Finnish: lörpötellä (fi)
• Russian: трепаться (ru) impf (trepatʹsja)
• Spanish: cotillear (es)

Noun

blab (countable and uncountable, plural blabs)

1. (countable) One who blabs; a babbler; a telltale; a gossip or gossiper.
   • 1951, C. S. Lewis, Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia:

     "You'd better have shoved your grey snout in a hornets' nest, Badger, than suggest that I am the blab," said Nikabrik.

2. (uncountable) Gossip; prattle.
   • 1976, David Toulmin, Blown Seed, page 148:

     Audie never liked him because he was further in with old Craig than he was, bragging and blowing about his work and the things he could do, while Audie sat quiet as a mouse listening to his blab.

Synonyms

• (one who blabs): See also Thesaurus:chatterbox or Thesaurus:gossiper
• (gossip, prattle): See also Thesaurus:chatter or Thesaurus:gossip

Derived terms

• blab-off switch
• blab school

Translations

gossip — see gossip

Related terms

• blabber
• blabbermouth
• blabby
• blubber