8 April 2013

prate

[preyt]

verb, prat·ed, prat·ing, noun
verb (used without object)

1. to talk excessively and pointlessly; babble: They prated on until I was ready to scream.

verb (used with object)
2. to utter in empty or foolish talk: to prate absurdities with the greatest seriousness.

noun
3. act of prating.

4. empty or foolish talk.

Origin:
1375–1425; late Middle English praten (v.) < Middle Dutch praeten. See prattle

Today’s aphorism

Before you marry a person, you should first make them use a computer with slow internet to see who they truly are.

– Whitney Cummings.

On this day

8 April 1947 – birth of Larry Norman, of Larry Norman, pioneering Christian rock musician.

8 April 1861 – death of Elisha Graves Otis, American industrialist and founder of the Otis Elevator Company. In 1854, he put the finishing touches to his signature invention: a safety device to prevent elevators falling if the cable fails.