talk

talk¹ W1S1 [to:k US to:k] v

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1¦(conversation)¦

2¦(serious subject)¦

3¦(say words)¦

4¦(a speech)¦

5¦(secret information)¦

6 talk sense/rubbish/nonsense etc

7 talk (some) sense into somebody

8 talk to yourself

9 know what you are talking about

10 talk the hind leg(s) off a donkey

11 talk about lazy/cheap/hungry etc

12 talking of/about something

13 what are you talking about?

14 I'm talking to you!

15 be like talking to a brick wall

16 talk somebody's ear off

17 talk trash

18 talk the talk

19 I'm/we're/you're talking (about) something

20 now you're talking

21 look who's talking

22 we're/you're talking £500/three days etc

23 talk your way out of something

24 talk nineteen to the dozen

25 talk in riddles

26 talk tough (on something)

27 talk shop

28 talk dirty (to somebody)

29 be talking through your hat

30 talk smack

Phrasal verbs

　talk around/round

　talk back

　talk somebody/something<=>down

　talk down to somebody

　talk somebody into something

　talk something<=>out

　talk somebody out of something

　talk something<=>over

　talk through something

　talk something<=>up

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[Date: 1200-1300; Origin: Probably from Old English talian 'to count, consider, tell']

1.) ¦(CONVERSATION)¦

to say things to someone as part of a conversation

▪ I could hear Sarah and Andrew talking in the next room.

talk about

▪ English people love to talk about the weather.

▪ All through the afternoon, they sat and talked about their trip.

talk to

▪ Claudia spent a long time talking to him.

▪ She's very easy to talk to.

talk with

▪ I got the truth from talking with Elena.

talk together

▪ They were talking together in the hall.

▪ Sue and Bob still aren't talking (=are refusing to talk to each other) .

talk in a low voice/a whisper etc

▪ They were talking in low voices, and I couldn't catch what they were saying.

talk of

(=used especially in formal or literary contexts)

▪ We talked of old times.

[i]see usage note ↑speak

2.) ¦(SERIOUS SUBJECT)¦

to discuss something serious or important with someone

▪ Joe, we need to talk.

▪ Is there somewhere we can talk in private?

talk to

▪ You should talk to a lawyer.

talk about

▪ We've been talking about getting married.

talk with

▪ Parents should talk with their children about drug abuse.

talk sport/politics/business etc

▪ 'Let's not talk politics now,' said Hugh impatiently.

3.) ¦(SAY WORDS)¦ [I]

to produce words and express thoughts, opinions, ideas etc

▪ She was talking so fast I could hardly understand her.

▪ How do babies learn to talk ?

▪ Some residents were frightened to talk publicly.

talk (in) French/German etc

▪ They started talking in Spanish.

▪ Don't let Dad hear you talking like that (=expressing things in a particular way) .

4.) ¦(A SPEECH)¦ [I]

to give a speech

talk on/about

▪ Professor Davis will talk about 'Trends in Network Computing'.

5.) ¦(SECRET INFORMATION)¦ [I]

if someone who has secret information talks, they tell someone else about it

▪ Even under torture, Maskell refused to talk .

▪ He tried to stop his ex-wife from talking on live TV.

▪ We should stop meeting like this. People will talk.

6.) talk sense/rubbish/nonsense etc

[i]especially BrE spoken used to say that you think someone is saying something sensible, something stupid etc

▪ You do talk rubbish sometimes, Jules.

7.) talk (some) sense into sb

to persuade someone to behave sensibly

▪ She hoped Father McCormack would be able to talk some sense into her son.

8.) talk to yourself

to say your thoughts out loud

▪ 'What did you say?' 'Sorry, I was just talking to myself.'

9.) know what you are talking about

spoken to know a lot about a particular subject

▪ I worked in hotels for years, so I know what I'm talking about.

10.) talk the hind leg(s) off a donkey informal

to talk a lot, especially about unimportant things

11.) talk about lazy/cheap/hungry etc

spoken used to emphasize that someone or something is very lazy, cheap, hungry etc

▪ Talk about lucky. That's the second time he's won this week!

12.) talking of/about sth

spoken used to say more about a subject that someone has just mentioned

▪ Talking of Venice, have you seen the masks I bought there last year?

13.) what are you talking about?

spoken used when you think what someone has said is stupid or wrong

▪ What are you talking about? We got there in plenty of time.

14.) I'm talking to you!

spoken used when you are angry that the person you are talking to is not paying attention

▪ Rob! I'm talking to you!

15.) be like talking to a brick wall

spoken used to say that it is annoying to speak to someone because they do not pay attention to you

16.) talk sb's ear off

AmE spoken to talk too much to someone

17.) talk trash

AmE informal to say rude or offensive things to or about someone, especially to opponents in a sports competition

▪ Both teams were talking trash on the court.

18.) talk the talk

AmE informal to say the things that people expect or think are necessary in a particular situation

▪ She didn't talk the talk of feminism, but her career was the most important thing in her life.

→walk the walk at ↑walk¹ (12)

19.) I'm/we're/you're talking (about) sth

spoken used in conversation to emphasize a fact or remind someone of it

▪ I'm not talking about ancient history, I'm talking about last season's performance.

20.) now you're talking

spoken used to say that you think someone's suggestion is a good idea

▪ 'Fancy an ice cream?' 'Now you're talking.'

21.) look who's talking also you're a fine one to talk

, you can talk

spoken used to tell someone they should not criticize someone else's behaviour because their own behaviour is just as bad

▪ 'Peggy shouldn't smoke so much.' 'Look who's talking!'

22.) we're/you're talking £500/three days etc

spoken used to tell someone how much something will cost, how long something will take to do etc

▪ To do a proper job, you're talking £750 minimum.

23.) talk your way out of sth informal

to escape from an bad or embarrassing situation by giving explanations, excuses etc

▪ She's good at talking her way out of trouble.

24.) talk nineteen to the dozen

BrE informal talk a blue streak AmE

to talk very quickly without stopping

25.) talk in riddles

to deliberately talk in a strange and confusing way

▪ Stop talking in riddles and explain what's going on.

26.) talk tough (on sth) informal to give people your opinions very strongly

▪ The President is talking tough on crime.

27.) talk shop

if people talk shop, they talk about their work when there are people present who are not interested or involved in it - used to show disapproval

▪ Are you two going to talk shop all night?

28.) talk dirty (to sb) informal to talk in a sexual way to someone in order to make them feel sexually excited

29.) be talking through your hat

BrE informal if someone is talking through their hat, they say stupid things about something that they do not understand

30.) talk smack

AmE informal to criticize someone or something in an unpleasant way

talk around/round phr v

1.) talk sb around/round

to persuade someone to change their opinion about something

▪ Leave Betty to me. I'll soon talk her round.

2.) talk around/round sth

to discuss a problem without really dealing with the important parts of it

▪ They had spent half the night talking round the subject.

talk back phr v

to answer someone in authority such as a teacher or parent in a rude or impolite way

talk down [talk sb/sth<=>down] phr v

1.) BrE to make something seem less successful, interesting, good etc than it really is

▪ the pessimists who are talking down Britain

2.) to help a ↑pilot land an aircraft by giving them instructions from the ground by radio

talk down to [talk down to sb] phr v

to talk to someone as if they are stupid, although they are not

= ↑patronize

▪ The students felt that they were talked down to as though they were children.

talk into [talk sb into sth] phr v

to persuade someone to do something

talk sb into doing sth

▪ My husband talked me into going skiing.

talk out [talk sth<=>out] phr v

1.) to discuss a problem thoroughly in order to solve it

▪ We need to spend a little time talking this out.

talk something<=>out with

▪ It might help if you talked it out with Dad.

2.) BrE if politicians talk out a proposal, they talk about it for a long time deliberately so that there will not be enough time to vote on it

= ↑filibuster

▪ The Land Protection Bill was talked out by MPs from rural areas.

talk out of [talk sb out of sth] phr v

to persuade someone not to do something

talk sb out of doing sth

▪ Can't you talk them out of selling the house?

talk over [talk sth<=>over] phr v

to discuss a problem with someone before deciding what to do

talk something<=>over with

▪ Talk over any worries with your GP.

talk through [talk through sth] phr v

1.) talk sth<=>through

to discuss something thoroughly so that you are sure you understand it

▪ Allow time to talk through any areas of difficulty.

2.) talk sb through sth

to help someone understand a process, method etc by explaining it to them carefully before they use it

▪ Trevor talked me through loading the software.

talk up [talk sth<=>up] phr v

to make something appear more important, interesting, successful etc than it really is

▪ Jones talked up the idea at the meeting.

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WORD FOCUS: words meaning talk

chat/natter British English to talk in a friendly way about things that are not very important

gossip to talk about other people's private lives

drone on/go on (BrE) hold forth waffle British English ramble to talk for too long in a boring way

whisper to talk very quietly

mumble/murmur mutter to talk in a way that is difficult to hear

See also: conversation, discussion, negotiation, debate

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talk ²

talk² W1S1 n

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1¦(conversation)¦

2¦(discussion)¦

3¦(speech)¦

4¦(news)¦

5¦(type of conversation)¦

6 be all talk

7 be the talk of the town/Paris etc

8 talk is cheap

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1.) ¦(CONVERSATION)¦

a conversation

▪ After a long talk , we decided on divorce.

▪ John, I'd like to have a talk with you.

talk about

▪ We must have a talk about money.

2.) ¦(DISCUSSION)¦

talks [plural]

formal discussions between governments, organizations etc

peace/trade etc talks

▪ The peace talks look promising.

▪ The president held talks with Chinese officials.

talks with

▪ Talks with the rebels have failed.

3.) ¦(SPEECH)¦

a speech

▪ an entertaining talk

talk on/about

▪ a talk on local history

give/do/deliver a talk

▪ Dr. Howard will give a talk on herbal medicine.

4.) ¦(NEWS)¦[U]

information or news that people talk about and hear about a lot, but that is not official

talk of

▪ Tickets sold so quickly there's talk of a second concert.

talk of doing sth

▪ the administration's talk of reducing weapons

talk that

▪ There's talk that she's difficult to work with.

just/only talk

▪ It's just talk. He'll never do it.

5.) ¦(TYPE OF CONVERSATION)¦[U]

type of conversation

▪ That's enough of that kind of talk.

▪ persuasive sales talk

▪ That's fighting talk (=brave and confident words) from Italy's manager.

6.) be all talk

spoken someone who is all talk talks a lot about what they intend to do, but never actually does it

7.) be the talk of the town/Paris etc

someone who is the talk of the town has done something bad, shocking, exciting etc and everyone is talking about them

▪ She's the talk of London's theatre-goers since her last performance.

8.) talk is cheap

used to say that you do not believe someone will do what they say

→↑pep talk, ↑small talk,idle talk at ↑idle¹ (2), pillow talk at ↑pillow¹ (3)