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| Date: | 1400-1500 |
| Origin: | chatter |
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chat2 past tense and past participle chatted, present participle chatting [intransitive]
1 also chat away especially British English to talk in a friendly informal way, especially about things that are not important : 
John and I sat up until the early hours chatting.
John and I sat up until the early hours chatting.2 to communicate with several people in a chat room on the Internet
chat somebody ↔ up
phrasal verb British English informal to talk to someone in a way that shows you are sexually attracted to them : I spent the evening chatting up Liz.
I spent the evening chatting up Liz.WORD FOCUS: talk WORD FOCUS: 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 British English/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 heartalk
➔ See also talk
WORD FOCUS: 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 British English/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 heartalk
➔ See also talk
