"blab" meaning in English

See blab in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /blæb/ Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-blab.wav [Southern-England] Forms: blabs [plural]
Rhymes: -æb 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”). Etymology templates: {{inh|en|enm|blabben|t=to talk foolishly}} Middle English blabben (“to talk foolishly”), {{der|en|enm|blabbe|t=idle talk; talebearer}} Middle English blabbe (“idle talk; talebearer”), {{cog|enm|blaberen|t=to blabber, babble}} Middle English blaberen (“to blabber, babble”), {{cog|gmh|blabezen|t=to stammer, babble}} Middle High German blabezen (“to stammer, babble”) Head templates: {{en-noun|~}} blab (countable and uncountable, plural blabs)
  1. (countable) One who blabs; a babbler; a telltale; a gossip or gossiper. Tags: countable
    Sense id: en-blab-en-noun-4JLv6DbE Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 38 45 16 1
  2. (uncountable) Gossip; prattle. Tags: uncountable Categories (topical): Talking
    Sense id: en-blab-en-noun-fjwJsGlV Disambiguation of Talking: 31 54 14 1 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English entries with topic categories using raw markup Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 38 45 16 1 Disambiguation of English entries with topic categories using raw markup: 29 39 30 3
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Synonyms: gossiper, gossip Derived forms: blab-off switch, blab school Related terms: blabber, blabbermouth, blabby, blubber

Verb

IPA: /blæb/ Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-blab.wav [Southern-England] Forms: blabs [present, singular, third-person], blabbing [participle, present], blabbed [participle, past], blabbed [past]
Rhymes: -æb 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”). Etymology templates: {{inh|en|enm|blabben|t=to talk foolishly}} Middle English blabben (“to talk foolishly”), {{der|en|enm|blabbe|t=idle talk; talebearer}} Middle English blabbe (“idle talk; talebearer”), {{cog|enm|blaberen|t=to blabber, babble}} Middle English blaberen (“to blabber, babble”), {{cog|gmh|blabezen|t=to stammer, babble}} Middle High German blabezen (“to stammer, babble”) Head templates: {{en-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. Tags: intransitive, transitive Translations (tell tales): раздрънквам (razdrǎnkvam) (Bulgarian), xafardejar (Catalan), lörpötellä (Finnish), трепаться (trepatʹsja) [imperfective] (Russian), cotillear (Spanish)
    Sense id: en-blab-en-verb-v8UA9JqF Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 38 45 16 1 Disambiguation of 'tell tales': 100 0
  2. to speak carelessly or excessively
    Sense id: en-blab-en-verb-3cJlE5PP

Inflected forms

Download JSON data for blab meaning in English (7.1kB)

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "blabben",
        "t": "to talk foolishly"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English blabben (“to talk foolishly”)",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "blabbe",
        "t": "idle talk; talebearer"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English blabbe (“idle talk; talebearer”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "blaberen",
        "t": "to blabber, babble"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English blaberen (“to blabber, babble”)",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "gmh",
        "2": "blabezen",
        "t": "to stammer, babble"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle High German blabezen (“to stammer, babble”)",
      "name": "cog"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "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”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "blabs",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "blabbing",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "blabbed",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
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    },
    {
      "form": "blabbed",
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        "past"
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  "head_templates": [
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  "lang_code": "en",
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          "_dis": "38 45 16 1",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
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        {
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        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To tell tales; to gossip without reserve or discretion."
      ],
      "id": "en-blab-en-verb-v8UA9JqF",
      "links": [
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      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(transitive, intransitive) To tell tales; to gossip without reserve or discretion."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "intransitive",
        "transitive"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "razdrǎnkvam",
          "sense": "tell tales",
          "word": "раздрънквам"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "tell tales",
          "word": "xafardejar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "tell tales",
          "word": "lörpötellä"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "trepatʹsja",
          "sense": "tell tales",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "трепаться"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "tell tales",
          "word": "cotillear"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "to speak carelessly or excessively"
      ],
      "id": "en-blab-en-verb-3cJlE5PP",
      "links": [
        [
          "speak",
          "speak"
        ],
        [
          "carelessly",
          "carelessly"
        ],
        [
          "excessively",
          "excessively"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
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      "ipa": "/blæb/"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-æb"
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    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-blab.wav",
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      "tags": [
        "Southern-England"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (Southern England)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "blab"
}

{
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "blab-off switch"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "blab school"
    }
  ],
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        "1": "en",
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        "3": "blabben",
        "t": "to talk foolishly"
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      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
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      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
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      "expansion": "Middle English blaberen (“to blabber, babble”)",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "gmh",
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      },
      "expansion": "Middle High German blabezen (“to stammer, babble”)",
      "name": "cog"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "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”).",
  "forms": [
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      "tags": [
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  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "blabber"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "blabbermouth"
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    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
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    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "blubber"
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          "_dis": "38 45 16 1",
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      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1951, C. S. Lewis, Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia",
          "text": "\"You'd better have shoved your grey snout in a hornets' nest, Badger, than suggest that I am the blab,\" said Nikabrik.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "One who blabs; a babbler; a telltale; a gossip or gossiper."
      ],
      "id": "en-blab-en-noun-4JLv6DbE",
      "links": [
        [
          "babbler",
          "babbler"
        ],
        [
          "telltale",
          "telltale"
        ],
        [
          "gossip",
          "gossip"
        ],
        [
          "gossiper",
          "gossiper"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(countable) One who blabs; a babbler; a telltale; a gossip or gossiper."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "38 45 16 1",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "29 39 30 3",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with topic categories using raw markup",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "31 54 14 1",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Talking",
          "orig": "en:Talking",
          "parents": [
            "Human behaviour",
            "Language",
            "Human",
            "Communication",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1976, David Toulmin, Blown Seed, page 148",
          "text": "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.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
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        "Gossip; prattle."
      ],
      "id": "en-blab-en-noun-fjwJsGlV",
      "links": [
        [
          "Gossip",
          "gossip"
        ],
        [
          "prattle",
          "prattle"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(uncountable) Gossip; prattle."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/blæb/"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-æb"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-blab.wav",
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      "tags": [
        "Southern-England"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (Southern England)"
    }
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  "synonyms": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "gossiper"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "gossip"
    }
  ],
  "word": "blab"
}
{
  "categories": [
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    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms derived from Middle English",
    "English terms inherited from Middle English",
    "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "English terms with audio links",
    "English uncountable nouns",
    "English verbs",
    "Rhymes:English/æb",
    "Rhymes:English/æb/1 syllable",
    "en:Talking"
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        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "blabben",
        "t": "to talk foolishly"
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      "expansion": "Middle English blabben (“to talk foolishly”)",
      "name": "inh"
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      "args": {
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        "2": "enm",
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      "name": "der"
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      },
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      "name": "cog"
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  "etymology_text": "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”).",
  "forms": [
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        "third-person"
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      "form": "blabbing",
      "tags": [
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      "tags": [
        "participle",
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      "form": "blabbed",
      "tags": [
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      "args": {},
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  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
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        {
          "text": "1998, \"Helga Blabs It All\", TV episode in season 3 of Hey Arnold!, animated television series created by Craig Bartlett\nHelga Blabs It All."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To tell tales; to gossip without reserve or discretion."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "transitive",
          "transitive"
        ],
        [
          "intransitive",
          "intransitive"
        ],
        [
          "gossip",
          "gossip"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(transitive, intransitive) To tell tales; to gossip without reserve or discretion."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "intransitive",
        "transitive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "to speak carelessly or excessively"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "speak",
          "speak"
        ],
        [
          "carelessly",
          "carelessly"
        ],
        [
          "excessively",
          "excessively"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/blæb/"
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    {
      "rhymes": "-æb"
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    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-blab.wav",
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      "tags": [
        "Southern-England"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (Southern England)"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "razdrǎnkvam",
      "sense": "tell tales",
      "word": "раздрънквам"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "tell tales",
      "word": "xafardejar"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "tell tales",
      "word": "lörpötellä"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "trepatʹsja",
      "sense": "tell tales",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "трепаться"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "tell tales",
      "word": "cotillear"
    }
  ],
  "word": "blab"
}

{
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    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
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    "English nouns",
    "English terms derived from Middle English",
    "English terms inherited from Middle English",
    "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "English terms with audio links",
    "English uncountable nouns",
    "English verbs",
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  "derived": [
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      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "gmh",
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      },
      "expansion": "Middle High German blabezen (“to stammer, babble”)",
      "name": "cog"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "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”).",
  "forms": [
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      "tags": [
        "plural"
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  "head_templates": [
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  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
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    {
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    {
      "word": "blabby"
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    {
      "word": "blubber"
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  "senses": [
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        "English terms with quotations",
        "Quotation templates to be cleaned"
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        {
          "ref": "1951, C. S. Lewis, Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia",
          "text": "\"You'd better have shoved your grey snout in a hornets' nest, Badger, than suggest that I am the blab,\" said Nikabrik.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "One who blabs; a babbler; a telltale; a gossip or gossiper."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "babbler",
          "babbler"
        ],
        [
          "telltale",
          "telltale"
        ],
        [
          "gossip",
          "gossip"
        ],
        [
          "gossiper",
          "gossiper"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(countable) One who blabs; a babbler; a telltale; a gossip or gossiper."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English uncountable nouns",
        "Quotation templates to be cleaned"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1976, David Toulmin, Blown Seed, page 148",
          "text": "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.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Gossip; prattle."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Gossip",
          "gossip"
        ],
        [
          "prattle",
          "prattle"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(uncountable) Gossip; prattle."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/blæb/"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-æb"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-blab.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/1/11/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-blab.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-blab.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/1/11/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-blab.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-blab.wav.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Southern-England"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (Southern England)"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "gossiper"
    },
    {
      "word": "gossip"
    }
  ],
  "word": "blab"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-04-26 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (93a6c53 and 21a9316). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.