Blab

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /blæb/

Definitions

1. To disclose information carelessly or engage in excessive, often foolish conversation that may reveal secrets or private matters
2. To engage in lengthy conversation that reveals confidential information or to speak indiscreetly and foolishly about various topics
3. To talk in a way that unintentionally exposes private details or secrets ; to speak at length without much thought or restraint

Etymology: "Blab" is an onomatopoeic-looking verb whose history is murky, and the best-attested fact is its Middle English ancestry: "blabben" meant "to talk foolishly," and it sat alongside "blaberen," "to blabber, babble," which suggests a family of words built around the sound of rapid, meaningless chatter. Its nearest cousins are found across the Germanic world, most clearly in Middle High German "blabezen," "to stammer, babble." The Middle English noun "blabbe" meant "idle talk" or "talebearer," and it may be the starting point. If so, the verb grew out of a person-centred idea: someone who blabs was once a gossip, and the act of spilling secrets was a later extension of that chatter. The chain from noise to betrayal is simple to follow, since loose talk and careless talk are close neighbours in meaning.

Synonyms: talk, chat, prattle, gossip, spill

Antonyms: silence, conceal, keep quiet