drivel

drivel
{{11}}drivel (n.) early 14c., drevel "saliva, slaver," from DRIVEL (Cf. drivel) (v.). Meaning "idiotic speech or writing" is from 1852.
{{12}}drivel (v.) O.E. dreflian "to dribble or run at the nose, slobber," from P.Gmc. *drablojanan, from PIE *dher- "to make muddy." Meaning "to speak nonsense" is mid-14c. Related: Driveling, drivelling.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • drivel — [n] foolish talk babble, balderdash*, blather, bunk*, double talk, gibberish, gobbledygook*, Greek*, hogwash*, hooey*, jabber*, nonsense, poppycock*, prating, rot*, rubbish*, tripe*, twaddle*; concept 278 Ant. sense drivel [v1] talk foolishly… …   New thesaurus

  • Drivel — Driv el, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Driveled}or {Drivelled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Driveling} or {Drivelling}.] [Cf. OE. dravelen, drabelen, drevelen, drivelen, to slaver, and E. drabble. Cf. {Drool}.] 1. To slaver; to let spittle drop or flow from the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Drivel — Driv el, n. 1. Slaver; saliva flowing from the mouth. [1913 Webster] 2. Inarticulate or unmeaning utterance; foolish talk; babble. [1913 Webster] 3. A driveler; a fool; an idiot. [Obs.] Sir P. Sidney. [1913 Webster] 4. A servant; a drudge. [Obs.] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • drivel — *nonsense, twaddle, bunk, balderdash, poppycock, gobbledygook, trash, rot, bull Analogous words: *gibberish, mummery, abracadabra …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • drivel — ► NOUN ▪ nonsense. ► VERB (drivelled, drivelling; US driveled, driveling) 1) talk nonsense. 2) archaic let saliva or mucus flow from the mouth or nose. ORIGIN Old En …   English terms dictionary

  • drivel — [driv′əl] vi. driveled or drivelled, driveling or drivelling [ME drivelen < OE dreflian, to slobber, prob. akin to DRAFF] 1. to let saliva flow from one s mouth; drool; slobber 2. to speak in a silly or stupid manner vt. to say in a silly or… …   English World dictionary

  • drivel — [[t]drɪ̱v(ə)l[/t]] N UNCOUNT (disapproval) If you describe something that is written or said as drivel, you are critical of it because you think it is very silly. What absolute drivel!... She is still writing mindless drivel. Syn: nonsense …   English dictionary

  • drivel — driv|el [ˈdrıvəl] n [U] [: Old English; Origin: dreflian to let liquid flow from the mouth ] something that is said or written that is silly or does not mean anything ▪ Don t talk such drivel! >drivel v [I] …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • drivel — 1 noun (U) something that is said or written that is silly or does not mean anything: Don t talk such drivel! 2 verb drivelled, drivelling (I) BrE drivel on/away to speak continuously without saying anything important drivelling adjective: a… …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • drivel — 1. noun he was talking complete drivel Syn: nonsense, twaddle, claptrap, balderdash, gibberish, rubbish, mumbo jumbo, garbage; informal poppycock, piffle, tripe, bull, hogwash, baloney, codswallop, flapdoodle, jive, guff, bushwa; …   Thesaurus of popular words

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