See Also: talk(2)(dictionary)
pep talk(dictionary)
by-talk(dictionary)
talk(1)(dictionary)
talk-in(dictionary)
sweet-talk(dictionary)
talk 1, verb(dictionary)
talk 2, noun(dictionary)
C' mon, Talk it Up! - Baseball(gambling)
talk radio(dictionary)

talk(2) (iou)



talk verb. ME.
[from Germanic base of TALE noun, verb or TELL verb + frequentative suffix -k: cf. LURK verb.]
I. verb intrans.
Have or exercise the power of speech; communicate or exchange thoughts, feelings, information, etc., by speaking; have a discussion, converse, (with a person); speak, utter words, say things, (to a person). Also, (freq. derog.) chat or chatter idly or trivially. ME.
D. Barnes He felt that he could talk to her, tell her anything. C. P. Snow I've always wanted to have the chance to talk with you. fig.: E. O'Neill You understand, it was the liquor talking, if I said anything to wound you.
b. spec. Gossip, esp. critically; spread rumour. M17.
Ld Macaulay Difficult to prevent people talking, and..loose reports were not to be regarded. H. Robbins You should be ashamed...People will talk.
c. Say something to the point, esp. something a listener wants to hear. colloq. M19.
M. Hastings 'Now you're talking.' Jukes said approvingly...'That's the best bit of sense you've spoke today.'
d. Reveal or betray a secret; spec. disclose incriminating information. Also foll. by to. E20.
W. Golding I won't talk I know nothing.
transf.
a. Communicate without speaking, as by writing, sign language, eye contact, etc. Also, be powerfully expressive; have influence. E18.
Financial Times Visiting Poles..should make a detour to the..State to see how money talks and nominations can be bought.
b. Communicate by radio. Usu. foll. by to, with. E20.
Of an inanimate object: make sounds or noises resembling or suggesting speech. L18.
V. S. Reid He tells militiamen to make their muskets talk.
II. verb trans.
a. Utter (words etc.); express in talk or speech. ME.
A. Adams I have written many things to you that..I never could have talked.
b. Use as a spoken language; speak in (a particular language, dialect, etc.). M19.
Speak about, discuss, (a subject). Now also (colloq.), consider, have in mind, envisage, think in terms of. LME.
G. Greene 'Sympathies East or West?' 'We never talk politics.' Washington Post We're talking big money here.
Bring or drive (a person) into a specified state by talking. L16.
Shakespeare Much Ado about Nothing They would talk themselves mad. R. Macaulay He..used to talk one sick about how little scope he had.
Phrases, & with prepositions & adverbs in specialized senses: hark who's talking! colloq. = look who's talking! below. know what one is talking about be expert or authoritative. look who's talking! colloq. expr. indignation, amusement, etc., at a person equally open to a criticism he or she has made of another. talk about have as the subject of discussion; consider; deal with. talk about (in imper., freq. iron.) reinforcing or emphasizing as a clear or extreme example of (a thing). talk a good game US colloq. talk convincingly yet fail to act effectively. talk a person's ear off N. Amer. talk incessantly and wearyingly to (a person). talk at (a) make remarks intended for but not directly addressed to (a particular person); (b) address (a person) in an insensitively impersonal manner. talk away (a) consume (time) in or by talking; (b) carry on talking, talk freely. talk back (a) reply defiantly, answer back; (b) respond on a two-way radio system. talk big: see BIG adverb. talk down (a) talk condescendingly or patronizingly to (a person); (b) silence (a person) by talking more loudly or persistently; (c) denigrate, belittle; (d) depress the value of (shares, a currency, commodity, etc.) by tactical public statements; (e) enable (a pilot, aircraft, etc.) to land by radio instructions from the ground. talking of while we are discussing (a specified person, subject, etc.). talk into persuade (a person) into (an action, concession, etc.). talk nineteen to the dozen talk incessantly or rapidly. talk of (a) speak about, discuss, mention, (a person or thing); (b) express a somewhat vague intention of (doing something). talk one's way in, talk one's way out effect an entrance or exit by talking persuasively. talk out (a) block the progress of (a parliamentary bill) by prolonging discussion to the time of adjournment; (b) talk out of, dissuade from (an action, plan, etc.). talk out of turn: see TURN noun. talk over, talk round gain agreement or compliance from (a person) by persuasive talking. talk over speak so as to interrupt (another speaker etc.), esp. on a tape, broadcast, etc. talk poor-mouth: see POOR adjective. talk round: see talk over above. talk shop talk, esp. inopportunely or tediously, about one's occupation, business, etc. talk someone's language: see LANGUAGE noun1. talk tall talk boastfully. talk the hind leg(s) off a DONKEY. talk the same language: see LANGUAGE noun1. talk through discuss (a matter) thoroughly. talk through (a) guide (a person) through a task, performance, etc., by continuous instruction, advice, etc.; (b) guide a person through (a task, performance, etc.) by continuous instruction, advice, etc.; (c) talk through one's hat (colloq.), talk foolishly, wildly, or ignorantly; bluff, exaggerate; (d) talk through the back of one's neck, talk through one's neck: see NECK noun1. talk to (a) reprove, scold; (b) talk to oneself, talk alone regardless of any hearers; (see also senses 1, 1d, 2b above). talk turkey: see TURKEY noun2. talk up (a) talk strenuously in support of (a thing), discuss in favourable terms, praise, advocate; (b) stimulate interest in by (usu. exaggerated) praise. you can talk (iron.), you can't talk colloq.: rebuking a person as being equally open to a criticism he or she has made of another.
Comb.: talkback adjective & noun (a) adjective designating apparatus and facilities for two-way communication, esp. between a broadcasting studio and control room; (b) noun a talkback system; (Austral. & NZ) a phone-in; talk-down the action or process of talking down an aircraft or pilot; talk-out colloq. (a) an instance of talking out a parliamentary bill, a filibuster; (b) an exhaustive discussion.
talkable adjective (rare) ready or disposed to converse, affable L18.
talkathon noun [-ATHON] (colloq., orig. US) an abnormally long or prolonged session of talk or discussion; spec. (a) a filibuster; (b) a lengthy talk show or broadcast political interview: M20.
talker noun a talkative person, a speaker, a conversationalist LME.