gossip

I. gos‧sip¹ /ˈɡɒsəp, ˈɡɒsɪp $ ˈɡɑː-/ BrE AmE noun
[Language: Old English; Origin: godsibb 'godparent, close friend', from god 'god' + sibb 'relative']
1. [uncountable] information that is passed from one person to another about other people’s behaviour and private lives, often including unkind or untrue remarks
gossip about
Here’s an interesting piece of gossip about Mrs Smith.
What’s the latest gossip?
Do you want to hear some juicy gossip?
She had no time for idle gossip.
It was common gossip how he felt about her.
You miss a lot of office gossip when you have a day off work.
On Sundays all the men gather in the square to exchange local gossip.
2. [countable usually singular] a conversation in which you exchange information with someone about other people’s lives and things that have happened:
Phil’s in there, having a gossip with Maggie.
3. [countable] someone who likes talking about other people’s private lives – used to show disapproval:
Rick’s a terrible gossip.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + gossip
▪ the latest gossip Annie usually has all the latest gossip.
▪ juicy gossip (=interesting gossip) He said that he had some especially juicy gossip to tell us.
▪ hot gossip (=interesting gossip) What’s the latest hot gossip going round at work then?
▪ idle gossip (=gossip not based on facts) She had no time for idle gossip.
▪ common gossip (=gossip that everyone knows about) Rumours about her affairs had become common gossip.
▪ office gossip He told her a few bits of office gossip which he though might interest her.
▪ village gossip BrE: She knew from village gossip how Harry had treated his first wife.
▪ malicious gossip (=unkind gossip that is likely to upset someone) Has someone been spreading malicious gossip?
■ phrases
▪ a piece of gossip I’ve got an interesting piece of gossip which might interest you.
▪ be the subject of gossip (=be talked about) His close friendship with Carol was the subject of gossip.
■ verbs
▪ exchange gossip (=talk about other people and their private lives with someone) They used to meet up and exchange gossip.
▪ hear gossip Have you heard the latest gossip about Steve?
▪ listen to gossip He was always willing to listen to gossip.
▪ spread gossip Someone’s been spreading gossip about Lucy and Ian.
▪ gossip goes around (=it is told by one person to another) It was a small village, and any gossip went around very quickly.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

gossip

gos·sip [gossip gossips gossiped gossiping] noun, verb [ˈɡɒsɪp] [ˈɡɑːsɪp]

noun
1. uncountable (disapproving) informal talk or stories about other people's private lives, that may be unkind or not true
• Don't believe all the gossip you hear.
• Tell me all the latest gossip!
• The gossip was that he had lost a fortune on the stock exchange.
• It was common gossip (= everyone said so) that they were having an affair.

• She's a great one for idle gossip (= she enjoys spreading stories about other people that are probably not true).

2. countable, usually singular a conversation about other people and their private lives

• I love a good gossip.

3. countable (disapproving) a person who enjoys talking about other people's private lives
Word Origin:
late Old English godsibb, ‘godfather, godmother, baptismal sponsor’, literally ‘a person related to one in God’, from god ‘God’ + sibb ‘a relative’ (see sib). In Middle English the sense was ‘a close friend, a person with whom one gossips’, hence ‘a person who gossips’, later (early 19th cent.) ‘idle talk’ (from the verb, which dates from the early 17th cent.).
Synonyms:
discussion
conversation • dialogue • talk • debate • consultation • chat • gossip
These are all words for an occasion when people talk about sth.
discussion • a detailed conversation about sth that is considered to be important: ▪ Discussions are still taking place between the two leaders.
conversation • a talk, usually a private or informal one, involving two people or a small group; the activity of talking in this way: ▪ a telephone conversation
dialogue • conversations in a book, play or film: ▪ The novel has long descriptions and not much dialogue. A dialogue is also a formal discussion between two groups, especially when they are trying to solve a problem or end a dispute: ▪ The President told waiting reporters there had been a constructive dialogue.
talk • a conversation or discussion, often one about a problem or sth important for the people involved: ▪ I had a long talk with my boss about my career prospects.
debate • a formal discussion of an issue at a public meeting or in a parliament. In a debate two or more speakers express opposing views and then there is often a vote on the issue: ▪ a debate on prison reform
consultation • a formal discussion between groups of people before a decision is made about sth: ▪ There have been extensive consultations between the two countries.
chat • a friendly informal conversation; informal talking. The countable use of chat is especially British English: ▪ I just called in for a chat about the kids.
gossip • a conversation about other people and their private lives: ▪ We had a good gossip about the boss.
a discussion/conversation/dialogue/talk/debate/consultation/chat/gossip about sth
a discussion/conversation/dialogue/debate/consultation on sth
in (close) discussion/conversation/dialogue/debate/consultation with sb
to have a discussion/conversation/dialogue/talk/debate/consultation/chat/gossip with sb
to hold a discussion/conversation/debate/consultation
Synonyms:
speaker
communicator • gossip • talker
These are all words for a person who talks or who is talking, especially in a particular way.
speaker • a person who is or was speaking; a person who speaks a particular language: ▪ I looked around to see who the speaker was. ◊ ▪ a fluent Arabic speaker
communicator • (rather formal) a person who is able to describe their ideas and feelings clearly to others: ▪ The ideal candidate will be an effective communicator.
gossip • (disapproving) a person who enjoys talking about other people's private lives: ▪ Myra is a dear, but she's also a terrible gossip.
talker • a person who talks in a particular way or who talks a lot: ▪ He's a very persuasive talker. ◊ ▪ She's a (great) talker ▪ (= she talks a lot) ▪.
speaker or talker?
Talker is used when you are talking about how much sb talks or how well they talk. It is not used for the person who is or was talking: I looked round to see who the talker was. You can say that sb is a good/persuasive speaker but that means that they are good at making speeches. If you mean that they speak well in conversation, use talker.
a good/great speaker/communicator/talker
an effective/excellent speaker/communicator
Example Bank:
• A piece of silly gossip was going round the school.
• He knows all the juicy gossip.
• I heard an interesting bit of gossip yesterday.
• I saw it in the gossip column of the local newspaper.
• It's common gossip in the office that she's about to leave her husband.
• She's having a gossip with Maria.
• Someone has been spreading malicious gossip about me.
• We had a good gossip about the boss.
• You shouldn't listen to idle gossip.
• a magazine full of gossip about famous people
• I was having a gossip with Maggie when he arrived.
• It was common gossip that they were having an affair.
• Myra is a dear, but she's also a terrible gossip.
• She's a great one for idle gossip.
• Tell me all the latest gossip!
• office gossip