gossipping

Verb

gossip (third-person singular simple present gossips, present participle gossiping or (rare) gossipping, simple past and past participle gossiped or (rare) gossipped)

1. (intransitive) To talk about someone else's private or personal business, especially in a manner that spreads the information.
   • This Place then is no other than the Chandler’s Shop; the known Seat of all the News; or, as it is vulgarly called, Gossiping, in every Parish in England.1749, Henry Fielding, chapter 4, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume I, London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book II, page 66

   Synonyms:

   blab, dish the dirt, spill the tea, talk out of turn, tell tales out of school

2. (intransitive) To talk idly.
   • […] on seats beneath the trees, the old men group of an evening to drink their ale and gossip over village politics;1889, Jerome K. Jerome, chapter 14, in Three Men in a Boat […]

   Synonyms:

   chat, chatter, chew the fat, chinwag, natter, prattle, shoot the breeze

3. (obsolete) To stand godfather to; to provide godparents for.
   • […] a world
     Of pretty, fond, adoptious christendoms [i.e. Christian names],
     That blinking Cupid gossips.c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...
4. (obsolete) To enjoy oneself during festivities, to make merry.
   • […] those baby eyes
     That never saw the giant world enraged;
     Nor met with fortune other than at feasts,
     Full of warm blood, of mirth, of gossiping.c. 1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Iohn”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...
5. (intransitive) To communicate using a gossip protocol.

See all 14 meanings of gossip

Noun

gossiping (plural gossipings)

1. The act of passing gossip; communication about other people's private business.
2. (obsolete) A christening.
   • At Wendlebury and other places they bring their Cakes at a Gossiping, and give a large cake to the father of the child, wᶜʰ they call a Rocking Cake.1687, John Aubrey, Remaines of Gentilisme and Judaisme, page 65