talk

- definition

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90% of the time, speakers of English use just 7,500 words in speech and writing.These words appear in red, and are graded with stars. One-star words are frequent, two-star words are morefrequent, and three-star words are the most frequent.

Thesaurus

The thesaurus of synonyms and related words is fully integrated into the dictionary entries. Click on the T button in an entry to review the synonyms and related words for that meaning.

verb

/tɔːk/

present tense
I/you/we/they	talk
he/she/it	talks
present participle	talking
past tense	talked
past participle	talked

See also
Synonyms

1
[intransitive] to use words to communicate
Can their baby talk yet?
Am I talking too much?
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of talk
1. a.
  to have a conversation with other people
  They were all talking and laughing together.
  talk to:
  I need to talk to you.
  talk with:
  Everyone was busily talking with their friends.
  talk about:
  We were talking about you just last night.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of talk
2. b.
  if a bird talks, it produces sounds like words
  I’ve taught my parrot to talk.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of talk
2
[intransitive] to discuss a problem, especially to avoid arguments or fighting
You and I need to talk.
My wife and I aren’t talking at the moment.
talk to:
You kids never talk to me (=discuss anything important with me).
keep talking:
Officials agreed on Monday to keep talking despite the latest crisis.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of talk
1. a.
  [transitive] to discuss a subject
  talk politics/sports/religion etc:
  He spoilt the evening by talking politics all the time.
  talking of something (=used after a subject has been mentioned in a conversation to introduce a discussion of it):
  Oh yes, talking of Harry, have you seen him recently?
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of talk
2. b.
  [intransitive] to discuss other people’s private lives
  You can’t stay here – the neighbours would talk.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of talk
3
[intransitive] to give a lecture on a subject
talk on/about:
In the hall a woman was talking on diet and health.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of talk
4
[intransitive] to give information that someone thinks should be secret
Do you think the prisoners will talk?
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of talk
5
[transitive] to achieve something by talking
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of talk
6
[intransitive] if a machine talks to another machine, it sends information to that machine
The software enables the two computers to talk.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of talk
7
[intransitive] informal to have the power to persuade people
Money talks!
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of talk

phrases

be talking (about) something
informal
used for emphasizing a point
This is serious, because we’re talking millions of voters.
We’re talking about people’s lives here!
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of talk
someone can talk/someone is a fine one to talk/look who’s talking
spoken
used for emphasizing that you think someone is giving advice or an opinion that is the opposite of how they live or what they do themselves
‘I was late, so my boss was furious.’ ‘He can talk! He’s never on time!’
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of talk
do (all) the talking
informal
if someone does the talking, they deal with a difficult situation by talking or explaining things
When we get in to see him, you’d better let me do the talking.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of talk
not know what someone is talking about
informal
used for saying that you do not understand what someone is referring to, even though you may really understand
‘You went into our room, didn’t you?’ ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of talk
now you’re talking
spoken
used for showing that you are pleased with an offer that someone is making
‘OK, I’ll give you £900.’ ‘Now you’re talking!’
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of talk
talk about...
spoken
used for emphasizing something
Talk about cold – I was freezing!
Talk about being lazy – she wouldn’t move an inch!
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of talk
talk English
very informal
to speak using less difficult words or expressions so that someone can understand what you are saying
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of talk
talk in terms of something
to mention a piece of information as a possibility
They were talking in terms of £20 million being made available.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of talk
talk someone into/out of (doing) something
to persuade someone to do something or not to do something
I talked her into going to London with me.
His father talked him out of moving out.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of talk
talk someone’s language
informal
to communicate in a way that someone else can understand
We just don’t talk the same language as people like that.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of talk
talk sense/nonsense etc
informal
to say something that is sensible/stupid etc
He talks such nonsense about politics!
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of talk
talk (some) sense into someone
to persuade someone to act in a sensible way
He had already tried to talk sense into Lisa.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of talk
talk through your hat
informal
to talk a lot about a subject that you do not really understand
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of talk
talk your way into/out of something
to persuade someone to let you do or avoid something
She eventually talked her way into a part in a film.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of talk
that’s the drink/drugs etc talking
informal
used for saying that someone is saying something only because they have had too much alcohol to drink, have taken drugs etc
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of talk

phrasal verbs

showmance

a romantic relationship between two members of the cast of a play, film or television series

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able to be read and understood by people

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talk

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Thesaurus

Related dictionary definitions

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phrases

be talking (about) something

someone can talk/someone is a fine one to talk/look who’s talking

do (all) the talking

not know what someone is talking about

now you’re talking

talk about...

talk English

talk in terms of something

talk someone into/out of (doing) something

talk someone’s language

talk sense/nonsense etc

talk (some) sense into someone

talk through your hat

talk your way into/out of something

that’s the drink/drugs etc talking

phrasal verbs

showmance

Word of the Day

soapstone

human-readable