Also 8 tattel; pr. pple. and gerund 5–6 tatelyng(e, 5–7 tatling. [Appears in Caxton’s ‘Reynard the Fox,’ 1481, where it reproduces MFlem. tatelen, a parallel form to the more usual MFlem., MDu., MLG., also Flem., Du., EFris. tateren (see TATTER v.2), with exchange of frequentative suffixes -er, -el. LG. has also tateln, täteln to gabble, cackle (whence tatel-gos gabbling goose), Brem. Wbch. Cf. also TITTLE v., and TITTLE-TATTLE, in LG. titeltateln. Ultimately onomatopœic.)
† 1. intr. To speak hesitatingly, falter, stammer; esp. to prattle as a young child; to utter baby-talk.
1481. [see TATTLING vbl. sb. 1].
1579. Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 129. When the babe shall now begin to tattle and call hir Mamma.
1586. Day, Eng. Secretary, I. (1625), 68. A childe … whose infancy tatling with a pleasant lisping sound, shall become an incredible delight to the Parents hearing.
a. 1719. Addison, trans. Ovid, Birth Bacchus, 40. In her trembling gate she [Juno] totters on, And learns to tattle in the Nurse’s tone.
2. To utter small talk; to talk idly or lightly; to chatter, babble, prate; to chat, gossip.
1547. [see TATTLING vbl. sb. 2].
[1550: see TATTLER 1.]
a. 1568. Bannatyne Poems (Hunter. Cl.), 1082. Louers must be tatling; Go to, good sir, you ar ane foole, yow dull me with your pratling.
1581. J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osorius, 490. To tattle and clatter without Judgement of matters of Divinitie.
1668. Dryden, Evening’s Love, III. i. I must tell you, sir, you have tattled long enough.
1751. Johnson, Rambler, No. 153, ¶ 14. I was tattling with my former freedom.
1838. Lytton, Alice, III. vii. She tattled on, first to one,… then to all.
b. transf. and fig.
1576–1881. [see TATTLING ppl. a. b].
1600. J. Lane, Tom Tel-troth, 37. I seeme to heare resounding Ecchoes tatling, Of misdemeanors raigning heere and there.
a. 1603. T. Cartwright, Confut. Rhem. N. T. (1618), 581. The merite of this reliefe, whereof your by-note in the margent tatleth.
3. To talk without reticence so as to reveal secrets or private affairs; to blab, ‘tell tales.’ (Now usually with mixture of sense 2.)
1581. [see TATTLING ppl. a.]
1639. S. Du Verger, trans. Camus’ Admir. Events, 211. To have exposed her to the tatling of tongues, was a thing he feared like death.
1652. J. Wright, trans. Camus’ Nat. Paradox, v. 93. People of that Nature have never a greater itch to bee Tatling, than when they are commanded to be Silent, and the greater the danger is, the more are they tempted to reveal it.
1710. Palmer, Proverbs, 197. When one of the gang tattles, confesses, and accuses the rest.
1876. Holland, Sev. Oaks, xx. She had always been one whom they could have in their families … she never tattled.
4. trans. To utter, say, or tell over in tattling. Now rare.
1588. Shaks., Tit. A., IV. ii. 168. Then let the Ladies tattle what they please.
1593. Tell-troth’s N. Y. Gift (1876), 11. They will tatle tales.
1649. Milton, Eikon., xvii. 159. This intricate stuffe tattl’d here of Timothy and Titus and I know not whom thir Successors.
1729. T. Cooke, Tales, Proposals, etc., 57. What from the Frankness of your Soul you say, The Fool may tattel, and the Knave betray.
5. With advb. extension: To get or bring into some condition by tattling.
1751. Johnson, Rambler, No. 108, ¶ 10. Lest the hours … should be tattled away without regard to literature.
1838. Lytton, Alice, III. vii. She tattled on … till she had tattled herself out of breath.
Hence Tattlement, tattling, chatter.
1837. Carlyle, Misc. (1872), VI. 225. Poor little Lilias Baillie; tottering about there, with her foolish glad tattlement.
