Drivel

Drivel
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 mouth, like a child, idiot, or dotard. [1913 Webster]

2. [Perh. a different word: cf. Icel. drafa to talk thick.] To be weak or foolish; to dote; as, a driveling hero; driveling love. --Shak. Dryden. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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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, 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 — {{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… …   Etymology 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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