[f. BABBLE v.]

1

  1.  Incoherent talk, idle chatter, babblement.

2

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 190. Preiere of holy lif … not of babelynge of lippis.

3

1535.  Coverdale, Prov. x. 19. Where moch bablinge is, there must nedes be offence.

4

1611.  Bible, Prov. xxiii. 29. Who hath contentions? who hath babbling?

5

1869.  Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), III. xi. 11. All this prophetic talk was but the babbling of an old man.

6

  2.  transf. Cf. BABBLE v. 4.

7

1686.  Gentl. Recr., I. 15. Babbling … is when the hounds are too busy after they have found a good scent.

8

1736.  Swift, Wks. (1841), II. 131. The little church bells shall cease their babblings.

9

1837.  Hawthorne, Amer. Note-Bks. (1871), I. 59. No noise … but the babbling of the stream.

10

  † 3.  ? Wavering, oscillation. Cf. BABBLE v. 5.

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c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 20/1. Babelynge or wauerynge, Vacillacio, librillacio.

12

  4.  attrib., as in babbling-place, -school, etc.

13

1650.  Sherwood, A Babbling place (where gossips meet), caquetoire.

14

1653.  Milton, Hirelings, Wks. (1851), 387. Bred up for Divines in babling Schools.

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