To prate is to talk on and on in a way that is empty, boring, or a bit full of yourself — a lot of words that do not really say much. It is an old, bookish verb. Ordinary people almost never say it in speech now; they say go on, ramble, or talk nonsense. You may still meet it in stories and older writing, often with a sharp feeling: the speaker is tired of the talk. There is also a rare noun, prate, meaning that kind of empty talk. It is not a kind word. Though actually, a close cousin in some other languages just means “to talk” with no insult at all; in English the sour taste is part of the word.

空口白話、喋喋不休（偏書面、帶貶義）。日常比較會說「講沒營養的話」、「一直碎碎念」。