prate Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun idle or foolish and irrelevant talk
    prattle; chin music; blether; idle talk.
  2. verb speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly
    chatter; tattle; piffle; gabble; blab; gibber; clack; tittle-tattle; prattle; maunder; palaver; blabber; twaddle.

WordNet

Prate intransitive verb
Etymology
Akin to LG. & D. praten, Dan. prate, Sw. & Icel. prata.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Prated; present participle & verbal noun Prating
Definitions
  1. To talk much and to little purpose; to be loquacious; to speak foolishly; to babble.
    To prate and talk for life and honor. Shak.
    And make a fool presume to prate of love. Dryden.
Prate transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To utter foolishly; to speak without reason or purpose; to chatter, or babble.
    What nonsense would the fool, thy master, prate, When thou, his knave, canst talk at such a rate ! Dryden.
Prate noun
Etymology
Akin to LG. & D. praat, Sw. prat.
Definitions
  1. Talk to little purpose; trifling talk; unmeaning loquacity.
    Sick of tops, and poetry, and prate. Pope.

Webster 1913