Talk at table; familiar conversation at meals.
In a general sense including ordinary conversation or gossip at the dinner-table; but now usually applied to the social conversation of famous men or of intellectual circles, esp. as reproduced in literary form; cf. the Colloquia Mensalia of Luther, first publ. 1567, Engl. transl. 1652, 1846.
a. 1569. Kingesmyll, Godly Advise (1580), 11. Suche verelie is the Table-talk emongst the Gentiles the gentlemen.
1596. Shaks., Merch. V., III. v. 93. Ies. Nay, let me praise you while I haue a stomacke? Lor. No pray thee, let it serue for table talke.
1608. Bp. Hall, Char. Virtues & V., Busiebodie, Wks. (1627), 188. Himselfe begins table-talke of his neighbour at anothers boord; to whom he bears the first newes, and adiures him to conceale the reporter.
1811. Sir G. Jackson, Diaries & Lett. (1873), I. 192. This little episode … started some table talk.
1689. (title) Table-Talk: being the Discourses of John Selden Esq.; or his Sence of Various Matters of Weight and High Consequence.
1791. Boswell, Johnson, Introd. (1831), I. 55. The small portion which we have of the table-talk and other anecdotes of our celebrated writers.
1838–9. Hallam, Hist. Lit., IV. IV. vii. § 31. 314. One group has acquired the distinctive name of Ana; the reported conversation, the table-talk of the learned.
1846. (title) The Table Talk of Martin Luther, translated and edited by W. Hazlitt.
b. transf. A subject for table-talk; a theme for general conversation.
1579–80. North, Plutarch, 775. Antonius commanded him at the Table to tell him what wind brought him thither, he answered, That it was no Table-talk, and that he would tell him to morrow morning fasting.
1781. Cowper, Table Talk, 151. To be the Table Talk of clubs up stairs.
c. attrib.
1581. Sidney, Apol. Poetrie (Arb.), 29. Not speaking (table talke fashion …) words as they chanceably fall from the mouth.
1614. Jackson, Creed, III. xviii. § 2. Acquainted with none but table-talke Diuinity.
So Table-talker, one who talks or converses at table; esp. a person of high conversational powers.
1846. Worcester, Table-talker, one who converses at table. Month. Rev.
1880. Q. Rev., Jan., 101. He was the best of table-talkers.
