gossip

noun

1. 1

   Someone who likes to talk about other people's private or personal business.

   Be careful what you say to him: he’s a bit of a gossip.

   A losing Gamester, who is obliged to drive into the City to dispose of a little South Sea Stock, gives the Hint there. The Gossips at Garraway’s have it in a Moment: At One it is buzz’d on Change, and the circulating Whisper in the Boxes interrupts the Play at Night.

   He was an arrant old gossip, too; for ever coming off in his canoe to the ships in the bay, and regaling their crews with choice little morsels of court scandal […]

   Alf could tell you about everybody on both sides of Main Street. He was a vicious male gossip, insatiably curious and vindictive without malice.

2. 2

   Idle talk about someone’s private or personal matters, especially about someone not present.

   According to the latest gossip, their relationship is on the rocks.

   I have a juicy piece of gossip to share with you.

   […] the thing is certainly true. It is not a mere bit of gossip. We have it from Frederick himself.

   I ought to arise and go forth with timbrels and with dances; but, do you know, I am not inclined to revels? There has been a little—just a very little bit too much festivity so far …. Not that I don’t adore dinners and gossip and dances; not that I do not love to pervade bright and glittering places.[…]

3. 3

   Idle conversation in general.

   The parlor was always bright and attractive, the chessboard ready, the piano in tune, plenty of gay gossip, and a nice little supper set forth in tempting style.

4. 4

   A genre in contemporary media, usually focused on the personal affairs of celebrities.

   a gossip columnist

   a gossip blog

   Little disappointed, then, she turned attention to "Chat of the Social World," gossip which exercised potent fascination upon the girl's intelligence. She devoured with more avidity than she had her food those pretentiously phrased chronicles of the snobocracy—[…]—distilling therefrom an acid envy that robbed her napoleon of all its flavor.

5. 5

   Communication done using a gossip protocol.

6. 6

   historicalA sponsor; a godfather or godmother; the godparent of one's child or godchild, or the parent of one's godchild.

   ’tis not a maid, for she hath had gossips [i.e. she could not be a virgin, because she has children with godparents]

   Should a great Lady, that was invited to be a Gossip, in her place send her Kitchen-Maid, ’twould be ill taken;

   It seems, Miss, that if he stood not himself, or procur’d not Gossips for the Christening of the Children of his poorer Tenants, he always sent them a large rich Cake […]

   A young woman of our town, who declared she had received the reward of sixpence for a like service, told the circumstance to her gossips; but no sixpence ever came again, and it was generally believed that the Pixies had taken offence by her chattering, as they do not like to have their deeds, good or evil, talked over by mortal tongues.

7. 7

   obsoleteA familiar acquaintance.

   My noble gossips, ye have been too prodigal: I thank ye heartily;

8. 8

   obsoleteTitle used with the name of one's child's godparent or of a friend.

   What, ho, gossip Ford! what, ho!

   He was old and infirm, he wrote, and Gossip Death was waiting for him on the moor; but before he went to join him he would like to see Susan’s boy again.

verb

1. 1

   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.

   Godfrey felt guilty at having gossiped to Olive about Lettie’s changes in her will.

2. 2

   To talk idly.

   […] on seats beneath the trees, the old men group of an evening to drink their ale and gossip over village politics;

   "Tut! tut! The unchanging woman. They gossiped in my time and they gossip still."

3. 3

   obsoleteTo stand godfather to; to provide godparents for.

   […] a world Of pretty, fond, adoptious christendoms [i.e. Christian names], That blinking Cupid gossips.

   The Pleasure I used to take in telling my Boy Stories of the Battles, and asking my Girl Questions about the Disposal of her Baby, and the Gossiping of it, is turned into inward Reflection and Melancholy.

4. 4

   obsoleteTo 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.

5. 5

   To communicate using a gossip protocol.

Forms

plural

gossips

past tense

gossiped, gossipped

past participle

gossiped, gossipped

present participle

gossiping, gossipping

third person singular

gossips