Blurting

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The instance of vocalizing thoughts impulsively and without forethought
2. The act of suddenly speaking out something without prior thought or control
3. An unplanned verbal expression that occurs abruptly and without self-censorship

Etymology: "Blurt" is one of those verbs whose origin nobody has pinned down. Dictionaries offer three possibilities: it may be imitative, a sound-echoing word that mimics the abrupt burst of speech it describes; it may be an alteration of Middle English "blurden," meaning to wail, cry out, or threaten; or it may come from a reconstructed Middle English form traceable to Old English "blǣrettan," an emphatic form of "blǣran," meaning to bellow or roar. In that last scenario, the word would be built from "blear," an old word for making a noise or for dimming the eyes, plus a frequentative ending that signals repeated action. What makes the uncertainty interesting is how well all three candidates fit the meaning. Whether the word began as a sound or as a shout, the core idea survives intact: something escapes the mouth before the speaker has had time to consider it. The "blurt" in "blurting out the answer" carries the sense of a burst rather than a deliberate utterance.

Synonyms: exclaiming, blabbing