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Babble vs Speak - What's the difference?

babble | speak |

In intransitive terms the difference between babble and speak

is that babble is to make a continuous murmuring noise, as shallow water running over stones while speak is to produce a sound; to sound.

In transitive terms the difference between babble and speak

is that babble is to disclose by too free talk, as a secret while speak is to communicate (some fact or feeling); to bespeak, to indicate.

babble

English

Noun

(-)
  • Idle talk; senseless prattle; gabble; twaddle.
  • * 1634 , John Milton, Comus, a Mask , line 823:
  • * "This is mere moral babble ."
  • Inarticulate speech; constant or confused murmur.
  • :* The babble of our young children. - .
  • A sound like that of water gently flowing around obstructions.
  • :* The babble of the stream. - .
  • Synonyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * astrobabble * econobabble * edu-babble * neurobabble * psychobabble * sociobabble * technobabble

    See also

    * babblement * babblery

    Verb

    (babbl)
  • To utter words indistinctly or unintelligibly; to utter inarticulate sounds; as, a child babbles .
  • To talk incoherently; to utter unmeaning words.
  • To talk much; to chatter; to prate.
  • To make a continuous murmuring noise, as shallow water running over stones.
  • :* In every babbling brook he finds a friend. - .
  • Hounds are said to babble,''' or to be '''babbling, when they are too noisy after having found a good scent.
  • To utter in an indistinct or incoherent way; to repeat, as words, in a childish way without understanding.
  • :* These words he used to babble in all companies. - .
  • To disclose by too free talk, as a secret.
  • speak

    English

    (wikipedia speak)

    Verb

  • To communicate with one's voice, to say words out loud.
  • * , chapter=13
  • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=And Vickers launched forth into a tirade very different from his platform utterances. He spoke with extreme contempt of the dense stupidity exhibited on all occasions by the working classes. He said that if you wanted to do anything for them, you must rule them, not pamper them.}}
  • To have a conversation.
  • (by extension) To communicate or converse by some means other than orally, such as writing or facial expressions.
  • To deliver a message to a group; to deliver a speech.
  • To be able to communicate in a language.
  • To utter.
  • * 1611 , (Authorized King James Version) (Bible translation), 9:5:
  • And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity.
  • To communicate (some fact or feeling); to bespeak, to indicate.
  • * 1851 , (Herman Melville), (Moby-Dick) :
  • There he sat, his very indifference speaking a nature in which there lurked no civilized hypocrisies and bland deceits.
  • (informal, transitive, sometimes, humorous) To understand (as though it were a language).
  • To produce a sound; to sound.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Make all our trumpets speak .
  • (archaic) To address; to accost; to speak to.
  • * Bible, Ecclus. xiii. 6
  • [He will] thee in hope; he will speak thee fair.
  • * Emerson
  • Each village senior paused to scan / And speak the lovely caravan.

    Synonyms

    * articulate, talk, verbalize

    Derived terms

    * public speaking * speakable * speaker * speakeasy * re-speak * unspeakable phrasal verbs * speak down * speak for * speak out * speak to * speak up idioms * actions speak louder than words * on speaking terms * so to speak * speak for oneself * speak highly of * speak ill of * speak in tongues * speak of the devil * speak one's mind * speak softly and carry a big stick * speak someone's language * speak volumes * speak with one voice * spoken for

    Noun

    (-)
  • language, jargon, or terminology used uniquely in a particular environment or group.
  • Corporate speak; IT speak

    Derived terms

    * artspeak * cyberspeak * doublespeak * lawyerspeak * leetspeak * medspeak * Newspeak * weather speak

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (dated) a low class bar, a speakeasy.
  • Statistics

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    Anagrams

    * spake * peaks 1000 English basic words English irregular verbs ----