What does "prate" mean?

Prate: To talk much and to little purpose; to be loquacious; to speak foolishly; to babble. To prate and talk for life and honor. Shak. And make a fool presume to prate of love. Dryden.

Additional senses

  1. 2.To utter foolishly; to speak without reason or purpose; to chatter, or babble. What nonsense would the fool, thy master, prate, When thou, his knave, canst talk at such a rate ! Dryden.
  2. 3.Talk to little purpose; trifling talk; unmeaning loquacity. Sick of tops, and poetry, and prate. Pope.

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