chat

chat

chat [chat chats chatted chatting] verb, noun   [tʃæt]    [tʃæt] 

verb (-tt-)
1. intransitive to talk in a friendly informal way to sb
• ~ (to/with sb) My kids spend hours chatting on the phone to their friends.
• ~ away (to/with sb) Within minutes of being introduced they were chatting away like old friends.

• ~ about sth/sb What were you chatting about?

2. intransitive ~ (away) (to/with sb) | ~ (about sth/sb) to exchange messages with other people on the Internet, especially in a chat room
• He's been on the computer all morning, chatting with his friends.
 
Word Origin:
Middle English: shortening of chatter.  
Thesaurus:
chat verb I
• We spent hours chatting on the phone.
chatter • • talk • • speak • |sometimes disapproving gossip •
chat/chatter/talk/speak to sb/gossip about sth
chat/chatter/talk/speak/gossip to/with sb
chat/chatter/gossip away  
Example Bank:
• George was in the kitchen chatting to some friends.
• I spent a happy half-hour chatting with a friend.
• I've been chatting online with my best friend.
• They chatted away to each other.
• We chatted briefly about the weather.
• You will have a chance to circulate and chat informally.

Derived: chat somebody up