conversation - the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.

pious platitude, cant - insincere talk about religion or morals

dialog, dialogue, duologue - a conversation between two persons

heart-to-heart - an intimate talk in private; "he took me aside for a little heart-to-heart"

shmooze - (Yiddish) a warm heart-to-heart talk

shop talk - talk about your business that only others in the same business can understand

idle words, jazz, nothingness, wind - empty rhetoric or insincere or exaggerated talk; "that's a lot of wind"; "don't give me any of that jazz"

chatter, yack, yak, yakety-yak, cackle - noisy talk

discussion, discourse, treatment - an extended communication (often interactive) dealing with some particular topic; "the book contains an excellent discussion of modal logic"; "his treatment of the race question is badly biased"

lecturing, lecture - teaching by giving a discourse on some subject (typically to a class)

chalk talk - a talk that uses a blackboard and chalk

speech, address - the act of delivering a formal spoken communication to an audience; "he listened to an address on minor Roman poets"

scuttlebutt, gossip, comment - a report (often malicious) about the behavior of other people; "the divorce caused much gossip"

communicate, intercommunicate - transmit thoughts or feelings; "He communicated his anxieties to the psychiatrist"

proceed, continue, carry on, go on - continue with one's activities; "I know it's hard," he continued, "but there is no choice"; "carry on--pretend we are not in the room"

dissertate, discourse - talk or hold forth formally about a topic; "The speaker dissertated about the social politics in 18th century England"

pontificate - talk in a dogmatic and pompous manner; "The new professor always pontificates"

orate - talk pompously

talk down - speak in a condescending manner, as if to a child; "He talks down to her"

spiel - speak at great length (about something)

dogmatise, dogmatize - speak dogmatically

cheek - speak impudently to

level - talk frankly with; lay it on the line; "I have to level with you"

talk turkey - discuss frankly, often in a business context

monologuise, monologuize, soliloquise, soliloquize - talk to oneself

converse, discourse - carry on a conversation

chat up, coquet, coquette, flirt, mash, philander, romance, dally, butterfly - talk or behave amorously, without serious intentions; "The guys always try to chat up the new secretaries"; "My husband never flirts with other women"

dish the dirt, gossip - wag one's tongue; speak about others and reveal secrets or intimacies; "She won't dish the dirt"

rap - talk volubly

read - look at, interpret, and say out loud something that is written or printed; "The King will read the proclamation at noon"

communicate, intercommunicate - transmit thoughts or feelings; "He communicated his anxieties to the psychiatrist"

phonate, vocalise, vocalize - utter speech sounds

troll - speak or recite rapidly or in a rolling voice

begin - begin to speak or say; "Now listen, friends," he began

lip off, shoot one's mouth off - speak spontaneously and without restraint; "She always shoots her mouth off and says things she later regrets"

shout - utter in a loud voice; talk in a loud voice (usually denoting characteristic manner of speaking); "My grandmother is hard of hearing--you'll have to shout"

whisper - speak softly; in a low voice

peep - speak in a hesitant and high-pitched tone of voice

speak up - speak louder; raise one's voice; "The audience asked the lecturer to please speak up"

snap, snarl - utter in an angry, sharp, or abrupt tone; "The sales clerky snapped a reply at the angry customer"; "The guard snarled at us"

enthuse - utter with enthusiasm

speak in tongues - speak unintelligibly in or as if in religious ecstasy; "The parishioners spoke in tongues"

swallow - utter indistinctly; "She swallowed the last words of her speech"

verbalise, verbalize - be verbose; "This lawyer verbalizes and is rather tedious"

verbalise, verbalize - be verbose; "This lawyer verbalizes and is rather tedious"

whiff - utter with a puff of air; "whiff out a prayer"

talk of, talk about - discuss or mention; "They spoke of many things"

blubber out, blubber - utter while crying

drone on, drone - talk in a monotonous voice

stammer, stutter, bumble, falter - speak haltingly; "The speaker faltered when he saw his opponent enter the room"

rasp - utter in a grating voice

blunder out, blurt, blurt out, ejaculate, blunder - utter impulsively; "He blurted out the secret"; "He blundered his stupid ideas"

inflect, modulate, tone - of one's speech, varying the pitch

deliver, present - deliver (a speech, oration, or idea); "The commencement speaker presented a forceful speech that impressed the students"

generalise, generalize - speak or write in generalities

blabber, palaver, piffle, prate, prattle, tattle, tittle-tattle, twaddle, gabble, gibber, blab, clack, maunder, chatter - speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly

chatter - make noise as if chattering away; "The magpies were chattering in the trees"

rattle on, yack, yack away, yap away, jaw - talk incessantly and tiresomely

open up - talk freely and without inhibition

snivel, whine - talk in a tearful manner

murmur - speak softly or indistinctly; "She murmured softly to the baby in her arms"

mumble, mussitate, mutter, maunder - talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice

slur - utter indistinctly

bark - speak in an unfriendly tone; "She barked into the dictaphone"

bay - utter in deep prolonged tones

jabber, mouth off, rabbit on, rant, rave, spout - talk in a noisy, excited, or declamatory manner

siss, sizz, hiss, sibilate - express or utter with a hiss

cackle - talk or utter in a cackling manner; "The women cackled when they saw the movie star step out of the limousine"

babble - utter meaningless sounds, like a baby, or utter in an incoherent way; "The old man is only babbling--don't pay attention"

intone, tone, chant - utter monotonously and repetitively and rhythmically; "The students chanted the same slogan over and over again"

communicate, intercommunicate - transmit thoughts or feelings; "He communicated his anxieties to the psychiatrist"

run on - talk or narrate at length

smatter - speak with spotty or superficial knowledge; "She smatters Russian"

slang - use slang or vulgar language

babble out, blab, blab out, let the cat out of the bag, peach, spill the beans, tattle, babble, talk, sing - divulge confidential information or secrets; "Be careful--his secretary talks"

tell - let something be known; "Tell them that you will be late"

disclose, divulge, let on, let out, reveal, expose, give away, impart, discover, bring out, break - make known to the public information that was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secret; "The auction house would not disclose the price at which the van Gogh had sold"; "The actress won't reveal how old she is"; "bring out the truth"; "he broke the news to her"

talk, spill - reveal information; "If you don't oblige me, I'll talk!"; "The former employee spilled all the details"

preach, prophesy - deliver a sermon; "The minister is not preaching this Sunday"

instruct, teach, learn - impart skills or knowledge to; "I taught them French"; "He instructed me in building a boat"