1talk 
/ˈtɑ:k/ verb
talks; talked; talk·ing /ˈtɑ:k/ verb 1 a : to say words in order to express your thoughts, feelings, opinions, etc., to someone [no obj] ▪ She never talks at the meetings. ▪ He did most of the talking during dinner. ▪ He loves to hear himself talk. — often + to ▪ You shouldn't talk to your mother that way. — often + about ▪ She still talks about your wedding and how perfect it was. [+ obj] ▪ I think she's talking a lot of nonsense/rubbish/drivel. ▪ You should listen to her; she's talking (good) sense. [=she's saying sensible things]
b [no obj] : to have a conversation or discussion with someone
▪ We need to talk. ▪ I can't talk right now. I'm running late. ▪ They were talking in Spanish. ▪ We talked on the phone until midnight. ▪ Both sides in the dispute are now willing to talk. — often + to ▪ They talked to each other in a whisper. ▪ Who were you talking to on the phone? ▪ I could hear her talking to herself as she studied. — often + with ▪ The coach refused to talk with the reporters. ▪ May I talk with you privately? — often + about ▪ You might feel better if you talked to someone about your problems. ▪ The teacher talked with him about his poor grades. ▪ When they get together, all they do is talk about sports.
c [+ obj] : to have a conversation about (something)
▪ They are in the conference room talking business. ▪ They were talking baseball/politics. ▪ They like to talk shop [=to talk about work] during lunch. synonyms speak 2 [no obj] : to use your voice to say words : speak
▪ She had laryngitis and couldn't talk. ▪ I can't understand you. You're talking too fast. ▪ No talking during the performance, please! ▪ Would you please stop talking. I'm trying to watch the movie. ▪ She talks very loud. ▪ He is teaching the parrot to talk. ▪ She started talking when she was only eight months old. 3 [no obj] : to be willing to talk to someone after having an argument, disagreement, fight, etc., with that person — always used as (be) talking ▪ It's been two weeks and they're still not talking (to each other). 4 [no obj] : to talk about the personal lives of other people
▪ It's rude to talk [=gossip] about people behind their back(s). ▪ If you continue behaving like that, people are bound to talk. 5 [no obj] : to tell secret information to someone
▪ The police forced him to talk. 6 [no obj] : to give information without speaking : to communicate with signs, numbers, etc.
▪ They were talking to each other in sign language. ▪ When she gets excited, she talks with her hands. [=she moves her hands when she talks] ▪ The computer is talking to the printer. 7 always followed by an adverb or preposition [+ obj] : to talk until (someone or something) is in a specified state
▪ He talked himself hoarse. [=he talked so much that his voice became hoarse] ▪ She talked herself into a corner. [=she put herself in a bad position by talking too much] ▪ We talked the night away. [=we talked throughout the night] — see also sweet-talk 8 [no obj] : to criticize someone ◊This sense of talk is often used in phrases like look who's talking, you're one to talk, and you should talk to say that someone should not criticize another person because he or she has the same faults as that other person.
▪ “She's way too skinny.” “You're one to talk. You need to gain some weight, too.” 9 [+ obj] informal — used to describe or suggest the size or amount of something — always used as (be) talking ▪ To fix the car, you're talking at least $500. [=it will cost at least $500 to fix the car] ▪ The heat was awful. I'm talking 100-degree weather and no air-conditioning.
b [no obj] : to have a conversation or discussion with someone
▪ We need to talk. ▪ I can't talk right now. I'm running late. ▪ They were talking in Spanish. ▪ We talked on the phone until midnight. ▪ Both sides in the dispute are now willing to talk. — often + to ▪ They talked to each other in a whisper. ▪ Who were you talking to on the phone? ▪ I could hear her talking to herself as she studied. — often + with ▪ The coach refused to talk with the reporters. ▪ May I talk with you privately? — often + about ▪ You might feel better if you talked to someone about your problems. ▪ The teacher talked with him about his poor grades. ▪ When they get together, all they do is talk about sports.
c [+ obj] : to have a conversation about (something)
▪ They are in the conference room talking business. ▪ They were talking baseball/politics. ▪ They like to talk shop [=to talk about work] during lunch. synonyms speak
▪ She had laryngitis and couldn't talk. ▪ I can't understand you. You're talking too fast. ▪ No talking during the performance, please! ▪ Would you please stop talking. I'm trying to watch the movie. ▪ She talks very loud. ▪ He is teaching the parrot to talk. ▪ She started talking when she was only eight months old.
▪ It's rude to talk [=gossip] about people behind their back(s). ▪ If you continue behaving like that, people are bound to talk.
▪ The police forced him to talk.
▪ They were talking to each other in sign language. ▪ When she gets excited, she talks with her hands. [=she moves her hands when she talks] ▪ The computer is talking to the printer.
▪ He talked himself hoarse. [=he talked so much that his voice became hoarse] ▪ She talked herself into a corner. [=she put herself in a bad position by talking too much] ▪ We talked the night away. [=we talked throughout the night] — see also sweet-talk
▪ “She's way too skinny.” “You're one to talk. You need to gain some weight, too.”
know what you are talking about — see 1know
money talks — see money
now you're talking
informal — used to say that someone has said or suggested something that you think is good, worth doing, etc. ▪ “You don't want hamburgers. Well, how about steak?” “Yeah, now you're talking.”
talk a blue streak — see 1blue
talk about 1 ◊The phrase what are you talking about? can be used to show that you are confused, worried, upset, etc., about something that someone has just said.
▪ What are you talking about? I did what you told me to do. 2 informal — used to emphasize the size, amount, or extent of something ▪ Talk about rain! I've never seen it rain like this in my entire life! ▪ Talk about having a bad day. I had the worst day ever! ▪ Talk about short. She's only four feet tall! — see also 1talk 1a, b (above)
▪ What are you talking about? I did what you told me to do.
talk a good game
informal : to say things that make people believe that you can do something or that something is true about you even though it is not true
▪ They talk a good game, but they're not really ready for the championship. ▪ She talks a good game about protecting the environment, but she doesn't even recycle.
▪ They talk a good game, but they're not really ready for the championship. ▪ She talks a good game about protecting the environment, but she doesn't even recycle.
talk around also chiefly Brit talk round [phrasal verb] 1 talk around/round (something) : to avoid talking about (a particular subject) especially because it is difficult, unpleasant, or embarrassing
▪ They've been talking around the real issue rather than addressing it directly. 2 talk (someone) around/round : to cause (someone) to accept and support something (such as an idea) after opposing it
▪ She says she doesn't agree with it, but we'll talk her around eventually. [=we'll eventually convince/persuade her to support it] — often + to ▪ We can talk her round to our way of thinking.
▪ They've been talking around the real issue rather than addressing it directly.
▪ She says she doesn't agree with it, but we'll talk her around eventually. [=we'll eventually convince/persuade her to support it] — often + to ▪ We can talk her round to our way of thinking.
talk at
[phrasal verb] informal talk at (someone) : to speak to (someone) without listening to what he or she says to you in reply
▪ My dad is always talking at me. ▪ You need to talk to your children, not talk at them.
▪ My dad is always talking at me. ▪ You need to talk to your children, not talk at them.
talk back [phrasal verb]
: to answer (someone) in a rude way that does not show proper respect
▪ Don't talk back! — often + to ▪ She was punished for talking back to her parents.
▪ Don't talk back! — often + to ▪ She was punished for talking back to her parents.
talk down [phrasal verb] 1 talk down to (someone) : to talk to (someone) in an overly simple way which suggests that he or she is not intelligent
▪ Many politicians are guilty of talking down to voters. ▪ Don't talk down to me. I'm not stupid. 2 talk down (something or someone) or talk (something or someone) down a : to describe (something or someone) as unimportant
▪ He talked down [=downplayed] his accomplishments.
b : to cause (the price of something) to be lower by talking to someone
▪ She managed to talk down his asking price for the car. : to convince (someone) to lower the price of something ▪ She talked him down 500 dollars. 3 talk (someone) down : to convince (someone who is standing on a high place and threatening to jump) to come down and not to commit suicide
▪ He tried to talk her down from the ledge. [=to convince her to not jump from the ledge] — sometimes used figuratively ▪ He was about to quit his job in anger, but she managed to talk him down. [=to convince him not to do it]
▪ Many politicians are guilty of talking down to voters. ▪ Don't talk down to me. I'm not stupid.
▪ He talked down [=downplayed] his accomplishments.
b : to cause (the price of something) to be lower by talking to someone
▪ She managed to talk down his asking price for the car. : to convince (someone) to lower the price of something ▪ She talked him down 500 dollars.
▪ He tried to talk her down from the ledge. [=to convince her to not jump from the ledge] — sometimes used figuratively ▪ He was about to quit his job in anger, but she managed to talk him down. [=to convince him not to do it]
talk into [phrasal verb]
talk (someone) into (something) : to get (someone) to do something by talking about the good reasons for doing it : to convince or persuade (someone) to do something
▪ The salesman talked us into buying the car. ▪ Her friends couldn't talk her into going on the trip.
▪ The salesman talked us into buying the car. ▪ Her friends couldn't talk her into going on the trip.
talk nineteen to the dozen
Brit, informal : to speak rapidly and without stopping
▪ He showed us around the house while talking nineteen to the dozen. [=(US) talking a blue streak]
▪ He showed us around the house while talking nineteen to the dozen. [=(US) talking a blue streak]
talk of [phrasal verb]
talk of (someone or something) : to speak or write about (someone or something) : to mention (a subject) in speech or writing
▪ It was the first time she talked of going to law school. ▪ She never talks of [=talks about, speaks of] her suffering during the war. ▪ In the letter, he talked of feeling ill. ▪ (Brit) Talking of [=speaking of] Jill, where is she?
▪ It was the first time she talked of going to law school. ▪ She never talks of [=talks about, speaks of] her suffering during the war. ▪ In the letter, he talked of feeling ill. ▪ (Brit) Talking of [=speaking of] Jill, where is she?
talk of the devil — see devil
talk out [phrasal verb]
talk out (something) or talk (something) out : to talk about (something) in order to find a solution
▪ The teacher told him to talk out the problem.
▪ The teacher told him to talk out the problem.
talk out of [phrasal verb] 1 talk (someone) out of (something) : to prevent (someone) from doing (something) by talking about the good reasons for not doing it : to persuade or convince (someone) not to do (something)
▪ He talked her out of quitting school. 2 talk (yourself) out of (something) or talk your way out of (something) : to avoid (something unpleasant or undesirable) by saying things to make other people forgive or excuse you
▪ She talked herself out of trouble. = She talked her way out of trouble. [=she got herself out of trouble by talking] ▪ He talked his way out of staying to clean up after the party.
▪ He talked her out of quitting school.
▪ She talked herself out of trouble. = She talked her way out of trouble. [=she got herself out of trouble by talking] ▪ He talked his way out of staying to clean up after the party.
talk over [phrasal verb]
talk (something) over or talk over (something) : to discuss (something) with someone in order to make a decision or reach an agreement
▪ We need some time to talk over the offer. — usually + with ▪ I need to talk it over with my wife, first.
▪ We need some time to talk over the offer. — usually + with ▪ I need to talk it over with my wife, first.
talk someone's ear off
US, informal : to talk to someone for a very long period of time
▪ He talks my ear off every time I call him.
▪ He talks my ear off every time I call him.
talk (some) sense into/to — see 1sense
talk the hind leg(s) off a donkey
Brit, informal : to talk for a long time
▪ She rarely spoke, but her brother could talk the hind legs off a donkey. [=he was very talkative]
▪ She rarely spoke, but her brother could talk the hind legs off a donkey. [=he was very talkative]
talk the same language — see language
talk the talk
: to say that you will do things
▪ Sure, she talks the talk, but can she walk the walk? [=she says that she will do things, but will she actually do them?]
▪ Sure, she talks the talk, but can she walk the walk? [=she says that she will do things, but will she actually do them?]
talk through [phrasal verb] 1 talk (someone) through (something) : to help (someone) understand or do something by explaining its steps in a careful way
▪ The woman on the phone talked me through the procedure. 2 talk (something) through : to discuss (something) with someone in order to make a decision or reach an agreement
▪ Have you talked this through with your family? 3 informal + old-fashioned ◊If you are talking through your hat, you are saying incorrect, foolish, or illogical things.
▪ If he says that there's no problem, he's talking through his hat.
▪ The woman on the phone talked me through the procedure.
▪ Have you talked this through with your family?
▪ If he says that there's no problem, he's talking through his hat.
talk tough
: to say that you will act in a forceful and aggressive way
▪ When the subject is national security, all the candidates talk tough. [=they say that they will act aggressively to support national security] — often + on ▪ The new mayor talks tough on crime.
▪ When the subject is national security, all the candidates talk tough. [=they say that they will act aggressively to support national security] — often + on ▪ The new mayor talks tough on crime.
talk trash — see 1trash
talk turkey — see turkey
talk up [phrasal verb]
talk up (someone or something) or talk (someone or something) up : to describe (someone or something) in a favorable way
▪ The salesperson talked up the car's safety features. ▪ He's being talked up as the next big pop star.
▪ The salesperson talked up the car's safety features. ▪ He's being talked up as the next big pop star.
