| 释义 |
▪ I. babble, v.|ˈbæb(ə)l|
Forms: 3–4 babel, 4–8 -le, 6 -yl, -il, 6– babble.
[Cf. Du. and LG. babbelen, Ger. pappelen (bappelen), Da. bable, Icel. babbla (not known in OE., ON., OHG); F. babill-er, 15th c. in Littré: cf. also It. babbolare to play the baby. In some of these languages probably adopted from others; in none can its history be carried far back; as yet it is known in English as early as anywhere else. Probably formed (with frequentative suffix -le; cf. prattle) on the repeated syllabic ba, ba, one of the earliest articulate sounds made by infants, fitly used to express childish prattle. No direct connexion with Babel can be traced; though association with that may have affected the senses.]
I. intr.
1. To make imperfect attempts at speech, like a child; to utter inarticulate or indistinct sounds.
1362Langl. P. Pl. A. v. 8 And so I babelide [v.r. bablide, blaberde, blaberid] on my Beodes. 1534More Comf. agst. Trib. ii. Wks. 1187/2 They heard her tonge bable in her head..after that the head was fro the bodye. 1560Disob. Child in Hazl. Dodsl. II. 295 When the child waxeth somewhat old, For meat and drink he begins to babble. 1607Hieron Wks. I. 149 Nurses doe halfe chew the meate to the little ones, and doe babble with them in their owne stammering and vnperfite language. 1842Tennyson Dora 132 And babbled for the golden seal, that hung From Allan's watch.
2. To talk childishly, to prattle; to talk incoherently or foolishly; to utter meaningless words.
1230[see babbling ppl. a. 2]. 1503Hawes Examp. Virt. vii. 102 For ye without wytte sholde alway bable. 1599Shakes. Hen. V, ii. iii. 17 (Theobald), And 'a babled of greene fields. 1610Bp. Carleton Jurisd. 248 As they bable in their decretals. 1799Sheridan Pizarro i. i, They only babble who practise not reflection. 1838Dickens Nich. Nick. i. 4 His reason went astray..for he babbled, for a long time, about the generosity and goodness of his brother.
3. To talk excessively or inopportunely; to chatter, prate.
c1510Barclay Mirr. Good Mann. (1570) A j, Olde men which haue vsed in time passed to bable In barbarike language. 1526Tindale Matt. vi. 7 When ye praye, bable not moche, as the gentyls do. 1599Shakes. Much Ado iii. iii. 36 For the Watch to babble and talke..is not to be indured. 1663Bp. Patrick Parab. Pilgr. 227 Ever chattering and babling as if they had obtained a patent for prating. 1847Tennyson Princ. iii. 237 And let me tell you, girl, Howe'er you babble, great deeds cannot die.
4. transf. of streams, brooks, etc.; also of young birds, and spec. of hounds that give tongue too loudly or without reason.
1399Pol. Poems (1859) I. 395 The nedy nestlingis..bablid with her billis. 1611Markham Countr. Content. ii. iii. 22 If any young Hound will..run babling away without the scent. 1777Sir W. Jones Pal. Fort. 27 Echo babling by the mountain's side. 1812Combe (Dr. Syntax) Pictur. xxi. (D.) And when they babble in their din, I am a special whipper-in. 1860Tennyson Brook, I bubble into eddying bays, I babble on the pebbles.
†5. ? To waver, oscillate, quiver. Obs. [Perhaps a distinct word.]
c1440Promp. Parv. 20/1 Bablyn, or waveryn, Librillo.
II. transitive.
6. To repeat or utter with meaningless iteration; to speak foolishly or incoherently; to prate.
c1418Pol. Poems (1859) II. 244 To bable the Bible day and niȝt. 1548Coverdale Erasm. Par. Rom. Prol., Though he babil neuer so many thinges of fayth and good workes. 1651Wittie tr. Primrose's Pop. Err. iv. xlviii. 405 That which he babbles concerning the spirit of the World. 1847Barham Ingol. Leg. (1877) 232 Mere unmeaning talk her parch'd lips babbled now.
7. To reveal by talking or chattering. Cf. blab.
1562J. Heywood Prov. & Epigr. (1867) 96 Who heareth all, And all bableth. 1791–1824Disraeli Cur. Lit. (1859) II. 338 The queen..impatiently babbled the plot. 1852D. Mitchell Dream Life 15 Griefs too sacred to be babbled to the world.
▪ II. babble, n.|ˈbæb(ə)l|
Forms: 5–6 bable, 6– babble. See bibble-babble n.
[f. the vb. Cf. F. babil, 15th c. in Littré.]
1. Inarticulate or imperfect speech, such as that of infants; prattle.
1668R. Lestrange Vis. Quev. (1708) 5 The Conjurer granted my request, and the Spirit went on with his Babble. 1864Tennyson En. Ard. 607 The babes, their babble. 1871Darwin Desc. Man ii. 55 Man has an instinctive tendency to speak, as we see in the babble of our young children.
2. Idle, foolish, or unseasonable talk; prating.
c1460Play Sacr. 648 Avoyde fealows, I loue not your bable. 1513More Rich. III Wks. 57/1 Neither mute nor ful of bable. 1658Bramhall Consecr. Bps. vi. 138 He had greater matters to trouble his head withall, then Mr. Holywoods bables. 1865Carlyle Fredk. Gt. X. xxi. ix. 182 A great deal of unwise babble on this subject.
3. Confused murmur, as of a stream.
1616Beaum. & Fl. Wit without M. v. 164 This Sack has fill'd my head so full of bables, I am almost mad. 1870Morris Earthly Par. II. iii. 13 Nought he seemed to hear Save the brook's babble.
4. Telephony. (See quots.)
1930Bell Syst. Techn. Jrnl. IX. 489 Babble is the name given to the effect produced by a number of different [telephone] circuits crosstalking into a particular circuit at a given time and producing an unintelligible murmur. 1960Gloss. Terms Telecommunic. (B.S.I.) 152 Babble, the aggregate crosstalk from a number of disturbing sources. |