chit-chat
Appearance
English
[edit]Alternative forms
[edit]Etymology
[edit]Reduplication of chat. Compare tittle-tattle, flim-flam, pitter-patter, etc.
Pronunciation
[edit]Audio: (file)
Noun
[edit]chit-chat (countable and uncountable, plural chit-chats)
- Light conversation; casual talk, usually about trivial matters.
- 2020 December 2, Andy Byford talks to Paul Clifton, “I enjoy really big challenges...”, in Rail, page 50:
- He speaks rapidly, with clarity and with obvious enthusiasm. No time is wasted on idle chit-chat.
- Gossip.
Synonyms
[edit]- (overlapping both senses): chinwag, claver, small talk; see also Thesaurus:chatter (meaningless types)
Translations
[edit]gossip
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Verb
[edit]chit-chat (third-person singular simple present chit-chats, present participle chit-chatting, simple past and past participle chit-chatted)
- (intransitive) To engage in small talk, to discuss unimportant matters.
Translations
[edit]to engage in small talk
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