{ "term": "talk", "partOfSpeech": "verb", "ox3000": true, "cefr": "a1", "verbForms": { "presentSimple": { "iYouWeThey": "talk", "heSheIt": "talks" }, "pastSimple": "talked", "pastParticiple": "talked", "ingForm": "talking" }, "definitions": [ { "senseNumber": 1, "definition": "to say things; to speak in order to give information or to express ideas or feelings", "sensetop": "talk to somebody talk to yourselftalk with somebodytalk about somebody/somethingtalk to/with somebody about somebody/somethingtalk of doing somethingtalk of somethingtalk yourself + adj.", "cefr": "a1", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "Stop talking and listen!" }, { "text": "We **talked on the phone** for over an hour." }, { "text": "Who were you talking to just now?", "contextForm": "talk to somebody" }, { "text": "Ann and Joe **aren't talking** to each other right now *(= they refuse to speak to each other because they have argued)*." }, { "text": "Watch the scene where Don talks to himself in the mirror while shaving.", "contextForm": "talk to yourself" }, { "text": "We looked around the school and talked with the principal.", "contextForm": "talk with somebody" }, { "text": "They **talk a lot** about the inspiration for their music.", "contextForm": "talk about somebody/something" }, { "text": "When they get together, all they talk about is football." }, { "text": "**What are you talking about?** *(= used when you are surprised, annoyed and/or worried by something that somebody has just said)*" }, { "text": "**I don't know what you're talking about** *(= used to say that you did not do something that somebody has accused you of)*." }, { "text": "to talk openly/freely/publicly about something" }, { "text": "She started talking loudly to her friends about the film they'd just seen.", "contextForm": "talk to/with somebody about somebody/something" }, { "text": "Mary is talking of looking for another job.", "contextForm": "talk of doing something" }, { "text": "We often talked of the war.", "contextForm": "talk of something" }, { "text": "We talked ourselves hoarse, catching up on all the news.", "contextForm": "talk yourself + adj." }, { "text": "He was so easy to talk to." }, { "text": "I think you'd better talk directly to my manager." }, { "text": "I'll talk to John this afternoon." }, { "text": "I can't talk about it just now." }, { "text": "Bruce Springsteen has agreed to talk exclusively to our reporter about his life." }, { "text": "I loved to hear him talk about the old days." }, { "text": "She talked quite freely about her work." }, { "text": "He had talked vaguely of going to work abroad." }, { "text": "He talked excitedly of his plans." } ], "collocations": { "adverb": ["loudly", "quietly", "softly"], "verb + talk": ["be able to", "can", "need to"], "preposition": ["about", "of", "to"], "phrases": ["start talking", "stop talking", "talk a good game"] } }, { "senseNumber": 2, "definition": "to discuss something, usually something serious or important", "sensetop": "talk to/with somebody talk about somethingtalk to/with somebody about something talk something", "cefr": "a1", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "This situation can't go on. We need to talk." }, { "text": "The two sides in the dispute are finally willing to talk." }, { "text": "Talk with your doctor before radically changing your diet.", "contextForm": "talk to/with somebody" }, { "text": "Is there anything you'd like to talk about?", "contextForm": "talk about something" }, { "text": "We want to talk to people about this issue.", "contextForm": "talk to/with somebody about something" }, { "text": "to **talk politics**", "contextForm": "talk something" } ], "collocations": { "adverb": ["loudly", "quietly", "softly"], "verb + talk": ["be able to", "can", "need to"], "preposition": ["about", "of", "to"], "phrases": ["start talking", "stop talking", "talk a good game"] } }, { "senseNumber": 3, "definition": "to say words in a language", "sensetop": "talk in somethingtalk something", "cefr": "a1", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "The baby is just starting to talk." }, { "text": "Alex can't talk yet—he's only just one year old." }, { "text": "We couldn't understand them because they were talking in Chinese.", "contextForm": "talk in something" }, { "text": "Are they talking Swedish or Danish?", "contextForm": "talk something" } ] }, { "senseNumber": 4, "definition": "to say things that are/are not sensible", "sensetop": "talk something", "labels": "(British English)", "examples": [ { "text": "She talks a lot of sense." }, { "text": "You're talking rubbish!" }, { "text": "See if you can **talk some sense into him** *(= persuade him to be sensible)*." } ] }, { "senseNumber": 5, "definition": "used to emphasize an amount of money, how serious something is, etc.", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "We're talking £500 for three hours' work." }, { "text": "Do you know what this will cost? We’re talking megabucks here." } ] }, { "senseNumber": 6, "definition": "to talk about a person’s private life", "examples": [ { "text": "Don't phone me at work—**people will talk**." } ] }, { "senseNumber": 7, "definition": "to give information to somebody, especially unwillingly", "examples": [ { "text": "The police questioned him but he refused to talk." } ], "collocations": { "adverb": ["loudly", "quietly", "softly"], "verb + talk": ["be able to", "can", "need to"], "preposition": ["about", "of", "to"], "phrases": ["start talking", "stop talking", "talk a good game"] } }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to try and persuade somebody to stop behaving in a stupid way, sometimes using rough or violent methods", "examples": [ { "text": "Try and talk some sense into her before she makes the wrong decision." }, { "text": "Where would I be without you to knock some sense into my head?" } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to have knowledge about something from your own experience", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "I worked there for 20 years, so I know what I'm talking about." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "used to tell somebody that they should not criticize somebody else for something because they do the same things too", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "‘George is so careless with money.’ ‘Look who's talking!’" } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "people who have a lot of money have more power and influence than others", "labels": "(saying)", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "used when you like what somebody has suggested very much", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [], "topics": ["Suggestions and advice"] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "people say speak/talk of the devil when somebody they have been talking about appears unexpectedly", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "Well, speak of the devil—here's Alice now!" } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to say something that you should not because it is the wrong situation or because it offends somebody", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to be able to communicate easily with another person because you share similar opinions and experience", "examples": [], "topics": ["Opinion and argument"] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "used to emphasize something", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "Talk about mean! She didn't even buy me a card." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to talk to somebody about sex in order to make them sexually excited", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to talk in a way that sounds convincing, but may not be sincere", "examples": [ { "text": "The senior managers talk a good game about customer relations, but really they don't care about the customer." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to talk too much, especially about things that are boring or not important", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "used when you are going to say more about a subject that has already been mentioned", "labels": "(informal, especially British English)", "examples": [ { "text": "Talking of Sue, I met her new boyfriend last week." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "people say talk/speak of the devil when somebody they have been talking about appears unexpectedly", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "Well, talk of the devil—here's Alice now!" } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to talk about your work with the people you work with, especially when you are also with other people who are not connected with or interested in it", "labels": "(usually disapproving)", "examples": [ { "text": "Whenever we meet up with Clive and Sue they always end up talking shop." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to be able to talk in a confident way that makes people think you are good at what you do", "labels": "(informal, sometimes disapproving)", "examples": [ { "text": "You can talk the talk, but can you walk the walk? *(= can you act in a way that matches your words?)*" } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to say silly things while you are talking about a subject you do not understand", "labels": "(old-fashioned, informal)", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to tell people very strongly what you want", "labels": "(informal, especially North American English)", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to talk about something seriously", "labels": "(informal, especially North American English)", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to make excuses and give reasons for not doing something; to manage to get yourself out of a difficult situation", "examples": [ { "text": "I managed to talk my way out of having to give a speech." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "used to tell somebody that they should not criticize somebody else for something because they do the same things too", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "used to tell somebody that they should not criticize somebody else for something because they do the same things too", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [] } ], "pronunciations": { "uk": [ { "pronunciation": "/tɔːk/", "audio": "ta/talk/talk__gb_1.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/tɔːks/", "audio": "ta/talk/talks__gb_1.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/tɔːkt/", "audio": "ta/talk/talked__gb_1.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/ˈtɔːkɪŋ/", "audio": "ta/talk/talking__gb_1.mp3" } ], "us": [ { "pronunciation": "/tɔːk/", "audio": "ta/talk/talk__us_1.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/tɔːks/", "audio": "ta/talk/talks__us_1.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/tɔːkt/", "audio": "ta/talk/talked__us_1.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/ˈtɔːkɪŋ/", "audio": "ta/talk/talking__us_2.mp3" } ] }, "wordOrigin": "Middle English: frequentative verb from the Germanic base of tale or tell." }