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Webster 1913 Edition


Gossip

Gos′sip

,
Noun.
[OE.
gossib
,
godsib
, a relation or sponsor in baptism, a relation by a religious obligation, AS.
godsibb
, fr.
god + sib
alliance, relation; akin to G.
sippe
, Goth.
sibja
, and also to Skr.
sabhā
assembly.]
1.
A sponsor; a godfather or a godmother.
Should a great lady that was invited to be a
gossip
, in her place send her kitchen maid, ’t would be ill taken.
Selden.
2.
A friend or comrade; a companion; a familiar and customary acquaintance.
[Obs.]
My noble
gossips
, ye have been too prodigal.
Shakespeare
3.
One who runs house to house, tattling and telling news; an idle tattler.
The common chat of
gossips
when they meet.
Dryden.
4.
The tattle of a gossip; groundless rumor.
Bubbles o'er like a city with
gossip
, scandal, and spite.
Tennyson.

Gos′sip

,
Verb.
T.
To stand sponsor to.
[Obs.]
Shak.

Gos′sip

,
Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Gossiped
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Gossiping
.]
1.
To make merry.
[Obs.]
Shak.
2.
To prate; to chat; to talk much.
Shak.
3.
To run about and tattle; to tell idle tales.

Webster 1828 Edition


Gossip

GOS'SIP

, n.
1.
A sponsor; one who answers for a child in baptism; a godfather.
2.
A tippling companion.
And sometimes lurk I in a gossip's bowl.
3.
One who runs from house to house, tattling and telling news; an idle tattler. [This is the sense in which the word is now used.]
4.
A friend or neighbor.
5.
Mere tattle; idle talk.

GOS'SIP

,
Verb.
I.
To prate; to chat; to talk much.
1.
To be a pot-companion.
2.
To run about and tattle; to tell idle tales.

Definition 2024


gossip

gossip

English

Noun

gossip (countable and uncountable, plural gossips)

  1. Someone who likes to talk about someone else’s private or personal business.
  2. Idle talk about someone’s private or personal matters, especially someone not present.
    • 1907, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, “chapter II”, in The Younger Set (Project Gutenberg; EBook #14852), New York, N.Y.: A. L. Burt Company, published 1 February 2005 (Project Gutenberg version), OCLC 4241346:
      "I ought to arise and go forth with timbrels and with dances; but, do you know, I am not inclined to revels? There has been a littlejust a very little bit too much festivity so far . Not that I don't adore dinners and gossip and dances; not that I do not love to pervade bright and glittering places. []"
  3. A genre in contemporary media, usually focused on the personal affairs of celebrities.
    • 1914, Louis Joseph Vance, Nobody, chapter I:
      Little disappointed, then, she turned attention to "Chat of the Social World," gossip which exercised potent fascination upon the girl's intelligence. She devoured with more avidity than she had her food those pretentiously phrased chronicles of the snobocracy [] distilling therefrom an acid envy that robbed her napoleon of all its savour.
  4. (obsolete) A sponsor; a godfather or godmother.
    • John Selden (1584-1654)
      Should a great lady that was invited to be a gossip, in her place send her kitchen maid, 'twould be ill taken.

Synonyms

Translations

Verb

gossip (third-person singular simple present gossips, present participle gossiping or gossipping, simple past and past participle gossiped or gossipped)

  1. To talk about someone else's private or personal business, especially in a way that spreads the information.
  2. To talk idly.

Synonyms

Translations

References


Italian

Noun

gossip m (inv)

  1. gossip (especially concerning famous or important people)