talk /tök/

1. To speak, to express or communicate in spoken words
2. To converse
3. To have a discussion (often with about)
4. To give a talk or lecture
5. To chat or gossip
6. To be able to speak
7. To speak indiscreetly
8. To divulge secrets, part with (esp incriminating) information, eg to the police (informal)
9. To speak pompously or bombastically
10. (of eg money, wealth, etc) to have influence, be effective (informal)

1. To utter
2. To speak about
3. To mean, have in mind, as in we're talking millions here (informal; esp US)
4. To speak in (a language)
5. To bring or render by talking

1. Conversation
2. Discussion
3. Gossip or rumour
4. Mention of possibility or proposal
5. A general theme, eg of gossip or a conversation
6. Utterance
7. Pompous or bombastic speech (informal)
8. A short informal address
9. (in pl) detailed and extended discussions
10. A particular way of speaking

talkabilˈity noun

talkˈable adjective

1. Easy to converse with
2. To be talked about

talkˈathon noun (informal, orig US)

A long-drawn-out discussion, debate, talking session, etc

talkˈative adjective

Chatty, given to much talking

talkˈatively adverb

talkˈativeness noun

talkˈer noun

talkˈie noun (old informal; commonly in pl)

A cinema film in which moving pictures are accompanied by sound

talkˈing noun and adjective

talkˈy adjective

Talkative

talkˈback noun

1. A two-way radio system
2. A phone-in (Aust and NZ)

talkˈee-talkˈee or talkˈy-talkˈy noun

1. A corrupt dialect
2. Chatter
3. A little harangue

talkˈfest noun (informal; esp N American)

An informal meeting for, usu extensive, discussion

talkˈ-in noun

(a gathering for the purpose of) an informal yet intensive discussion

talking book noun

A recording of a reading of a book, esp for use by the blind

talking head noun

A person talking on television, viewed in close-up, contrasted with programmes with more action

talking machine noun

A machine to produce imitation speech

talking point noun

A matter of or for talk

talking shop noun (informal)

A meeting or a place for discussion, as opposed to decision or action (also talk shop)

talkˈing-to noun

A reproof, ticking-off

talk radio noun

Radio programming based around conversations and interviews rather than music

talkshow see chat show under chat¹

talkˈtime noun

The total amount of time available to the user of a telephone to make calls

talkˈ-you-down noun

An apparatus by means of which instructions are given to aircraft pilots to help them to land

know what one is talking about (informal)

To be an expert

look who's talking (ironic)

You're a fine one to be saying that

now you're talking (informal)

Now you are saying something I want to hear, or something important or to the point

talk about…! (informal)

What a perfect instance of…!

talk against time

To keep on talking merely to fill up time, as often happens in parliament

talk at

1. To address remarks to indirectly
2. To talk to incessantly, without waiting for a response
3. To address pompously

talk back

1. To reply impudently
2. To reply on a two-way radio system

talk big

To talk boastfully or over-confidently

talk down

1. To speak or argue more loudly or aggressively than, and so silence
2. To talk as though to people inferior to oneself in intellect or education
3. To denigrate, make little of
4. To bring (an aircraft) to a landing by radioed instructions from the ground (talk-down system the apparatus and procedures for doing this)

talking of

Apropos of, now that mention has been made of

talk into (or out of)

To persuade to do (or not to do)

talk out

1. To defeat (a parliamentary bill or motion) by going on speaking until it is too late to vote on it
2. To resolve (a difference of opinion) by thorough discussion

talk over

1. To persuade, convince
2. To discuss, consider together

talk round

1. To talk of all sorts of related matters without tackling (the subject at issue)
2. To bring to one's way of thinking by talking persuasively

talk shop see under shop

talk smack see under smack

talk tall

To boast

talk the hindlegs off a donkey see under donkey

talk through

To explain a process by talking about each part of it in a logical sequence

talk to

1. To address
2. To rebuke

talk trash see under trash¹

talk turkey see under turkey

talk up

1. To speak boldly
2. To praise, esp to arouse interest in
3. To make much of

you can't (or can) talk (informal)

You are in no position to criticize or disagree

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• quagmired
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