Forms: 5–6 chatt(e, 6 chate, 5– chat. [app. an onomatopœic abbreviation of CHATTER, which has lost the frequentative, and to some extent the depreciative, force of that word.]
† 1. intr. To talk idly and foolishly; to prate, babble, chatter. Obs.
c. 1440. York Myst., xxxiii. 3. I charge ȝou as ȝour chiftan þat ȝe chatt for no chaunce.
1483. Cath. Angl., 60. To Chatte, garrulare.
1494. Fabyan, VII. 294. Thoughe I shulde all day tell Or chat with my ryme dogerell.
1526. Skelton, Magnyf., 1451. What nede you with hym thus prate & chat?
1580. Baret, Alv., C 381. To chat like a pie or lyke a birde in a cage.
1596. Shaks., Tam. Shr., III. ii. 123. But what a foole am I to chat with you, When I should bid good morrow to my Bride?
1611. Cotgr., Babillarde, a title-tatle … a chatting or chattering Minx.
1617. Janua Ling., 18. Admit not thy wife to thy secrets; for she will vndoe you both by chatting.
† 2. trans. To chatter, prate or prattle (a thing); to utter familiarly; to talk in a gossiping way. Obs.
1483. Vulg. abs Terentio, 30 a. While she lyueth she may chatt [obganniat] it at hys eere.
1577–87. Holinshed, Chron., I. 12/2. A woman … possessed with a babling spirit, that could have chatted any language saving the Irish.
1583. Stanyhurst, Æneis, II. (Arb.), 46. To what purpose do I chat such ianglerye trim trams?
1659. Heylin, Animadv., in Fuller, Appeal (1840), 399. Bent to learn this language, for fear they should not chat it handsomely when they came to heaven.
a. 1745. Swift, Wks., 1841, II. 86. To chat their scandal over an infusion of sage.
3. intr. To talk in a light and informal manner; to converse familiarly and pleasantly.
1556. Robinson, trans. More’s Utopia (Arb.), 22. I muste commen with my wife, chatte with my children, and talke wyth my seruantes.
1573. G. Harvey, Letter-bk. (1884), 51. Matter for them and others to chat of.
1590. Shaks., Com. Err., II. ii. 27. I familiarlie sometimes Doe vse you for my foole, and chat with you.
1629. Milton, Nativity, 87. The shepherds on the lawn … Sat simply chatting in a rustic row.
1740. West, Lett., in Gray’s Poems (1775), 98. They can chat about trifles.
1814. Jane Austen, Lady Susan, xxiii. (1879), 255. After chatting on indifferent subjects.
1870. E. Peacock, Ralf Skirl., III. 245. Lord and Lady Burworth, and the Squire, were chatting by the fire.
† 4. trans. To speak familiarly of, talk of, tell as gossip. Obs.
a. 1591. H. Smith, Wks., 1867, II. 406. She began to chat the same amongst her gossips.
1596. W. Smith, Chloris (1877), 11. When to my flocke my daily woes I chate.
1607. Shaks., Cor., II. i. 224. Your pratling Nurse Into a rapture lets her Baby crie, While she chats him [Coriolanus].
