[f. BABBLE v.]
1. Incoherent talk, idle chatter, babblement.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 190. Preiere of holy lif not of babelynge of lippis.
1535. Coverdale, Prov. x. 19. Where moch bablinge is, there must nedes be offence.
1611. Bible, Prov. xxiii. 29. Who hath contentions? who hath babbling?
1869. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), III. xi. 11. All this prophetic talk was but the babbling of an old man.
2. transf. Cf. BABBLE v. 4.
1686. Gentl. Recr., I. 15. Babbling is when the hounds are too busy after they have found a good scent.
1736. Swift, Wks. (1841), II. 131. The little church bells shall cease their babblings.
1837. Hawthorne, Amer. Note-Bks. (1871), I. 59. No noise but the babbling of the stream.
† 3. ? Wavering, oscillation. Cf. BABBLE v. 5.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 20/1. Babelynge or wauerynge, Vacillacio, librillacio.
4. attrib., as in babbling-place, -school, etc.
1650. Sherwood, A Babbling place (where gossips meet), caquetoire.
1653. Milton, Hirelings, Wks. (1851), 387. Bred up for Divines in babling Schools.