witter

IPA/ˈwɪtə(r)/
KK[wˈɪtɚ]IPA/ˈwɪtər/

witter — 動詞

  • witterpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • wittershe / she / it
  • witteredpast simple
  • wittering-ing form

1. to speak at length, often in an irritating way, about small or everyday matters

1.動詞不及物C1
釋義

喋喋不休

沒完沒了地說無聊小事

to speak at length, often in an irritating way, about small or everyday matters that others find uninteresting.

例句

Ari wittered on about his stamp collection until everyone had left the room.

Ari 喋喋不休地講他的郵票收藏，講到大家都離開了房間。

witter + on + about + topic

The two women stood at the bus stop, wittering away about their neighbours' new curtains.

那兩個女人站在公車站，喋喋不休地說著鄰居的新窗簾。

witter + away for continuous action

常見搭配
  • witter on
  • witter away
  • witter about [topic]
  • witter on about [topic]
同義詞
  • ramble

    less negative than 'witter'; suggests a lack of focus rather than trivial content

  • prattle

    similar register but more childlike or naive; 'witter' often implies repetitive adult complaints

  • chatter

    neutral or positive; 'witter' carries a stronger sense of annoyance from the listener

  • go on

    phrasal verb, informal; similar meaning but less specific — 'go on about' can cover serious topics too

文法句型

witter (on/away) about [topic]

用法筆記

Frequently used with 'on' or 'away' to emphasise the length and tedious nature of the talking. Subject is usually a person who is unaware that listeners are bored. This word is chiefly British and informal; it is rarely used in American English.

常見錯誤

She wittered the whole story to me.
She wittered on about the whole story to me.
'witter' is intransitive and needs a particle like 'on' or 'about'; it cannot take a direct object.
He wittered that the meeting was too long.
He wittered on about the meeting being too long.
'witter' is not followed by a that-clause; use 'about + noun/gerund' instead.

同根字

常見搭配

介系詞搭配