See Also: prate(dictionary)
prate(dictionary)

prate (iou)



prate verb & noun. LME.
[Middle & mod. Low German, Middle & mod. Dutch praten, prob. of imit. origin. Cf. PRATTLE verb.]
A. verb.
verb intrans. Talk, chatter, esp. idly or for too long. Formerly also, speak insolently, boastfully, or officiously; tell tales, blab. LME.
A. S. Neill Those who prate about marriage as an emancipation for a woman. Stevie Smith Prate not to me of suicide.
verb trans. Say or tell in a prating or chattering manner; relate or repeat to little purpose. L15.
N. Gould Prating mere polite nothings to a young lady.
b. noun. The action of prating; talk. Now esp. idle or irrelevant chatter; prattle. L16.
Comb.: prate-apace arch. a person given to prating; a chatterbox; prate-rost slang = prate-apace above.
pratement noun (rare) prating, talking M17.
prater noun a person who prates, esp. an idle talker, a chatterer L16.