To gab is to talk and talk, usually about small things — neighbours, lunch, what someone said — not a serious speech. It is informal.

To gab gab 這個動詞 is指的是 to talk and talk一直講一直講, usually about small things通常是講些小事 — neighbours, lunch, what someone said像鄰居、午餐、誰說了什麼 — not a serious speech不是正經的演講。It is這是 informal口語用法。

Friends gab on the phone; people at work gab by the coffee machine. It can sound a little impatient, as if the talking is more noise than news, but it is not a hard insult; it is closer to chatter than to a fight.

Friends gab on the phone朋友會在電話裡 gab（哈拉閒聊）; people at work gab by the coffee machine上班的人則會在咖啡機旁 gab。It can sound a little impatient它聽起來可能有點不耐煩, as if the talking is more noise than news好像講的都是廢話而不是有用的消息, but it is not a hard insult但不是很重的罵人話; it is closer to chatter than to a fight比較接近「碎念」而不是「吵架」。

As a noun, gab is that kind of talk. English also has the set phrase the gift of the gab, meaning you are good at talking, often at getting people to listen or agree.

As a noun當名詞用時, gab is that kind of talk gab 指的就是那種閒聊。English also has the set phrase the gift of the gab英文還有一個固定說法 the gift of the gab, meaning you are good at talking意思是你很會說話, often at getting people to listen or agree常常是很會讓人聽你的或同意你。

Though actually, the older story of the word is a bit sharper: it comes from Middle English, from Old Norse gabb (jest, mockery) for the noun, and from Old English gabban and Old Norse gabba (to mock, to joke) for the verb. Today's English has mostly softened it into 'chat a lot'.

Though actually不過, the older story of the word is a bit sharper這個字更早的來歷其實比較尖銳: it comes from Middle English它源自中古英語, from Old Norse gabb (jest, mockery) for the noun名詞來自古諾斯語 gabb（嘲弄、取笑）, and from Old English gabban and Old Norse gabba (to mock, to joke) for the verb動詞則來自古英語 gabban 和古諾斯語 gabba（嘲笑、開玩笑）。Today's English has mostly softened it into 'chat a lot'現代英語大致把它變溫和成「很愛聊天」。

You will hear it in casual British and American talk; you will not need it in a school essay.

You will hear it in casual British and American talk你會在英式和美式的日常對話裡聽到它; you will not need it in a school essay但寫學校作文用不到它。