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chin music

chin music

1 9.9
Talk that is useless and does not help
  • noun
  • Archaic
translation icon : charlas vacías
  • After hours of chin music, we finally started discussing the real issues.
  • a little chin music

Examples

Synonyms

chatter
vschin music
87 3.5

Continuous talk about small things, often lively and noisy

is more about foolish irrelevance rather than lively noise
prattle
vschin music
5 8.7

Silly talk about unimportant things

is foolish chatter but not necessarily childish in tone
idle talk
vschin music
1 5.8

Casual talk about small, unimportant things, often gossip

is more about silly or irrelevant chatter than just being pointless
prate
vschin music
  • Literature
1 9.9

Long, silly talk that has no useful meaning

is more foolish and irrelevant rather than only lacking substance
yakety-yak
vschin music
  • Archaic
1 9.7

A lot of noisy talking about not important things

is idle or foolish talk without necessarily being nonstop or noisy
blether
vschin music
  • UK
1 9.9

Talk that is silly or not important

is general silly chatter and not limited to gossip
argle-bargle
vschin music
  • Archaic
1 9.9

Loud, silly talk that has no useful meaning

is less argumentative and more simply foolish idle chatter
chin-wag
vschin music
  • Slang
1 8.4

A friendly relaxed chat between people, often over coffee

is more trivial and silly rather than just relaxed social talk
prittle-prattle
vschin music
  • Archaic
9.7

Light talk about unimportant, silly things people say

is similar but stresses general idle or irrelevant speech
constant blather
vschin music
  • Informal
7.0

Continuous trivial talk that says nothing important

is more about foolish or irrelevant points rather than length
chin-wagging
vschin music
  • Slang
8.6

Light informal chat between people to enjoy themselves

is sillier or worthless talk rather than just friendly chat
chin wagging
vschin music
  • UK
7.7

A friendly informal talk about unimportant things

is more foolish or idle rather than merely social chat
chin wag
vschin music
  • UK
8.2

A friendly informal chat between people who know each other

is sillier and lacks purpose, not only casual social speech

How Meaningless

prattle
5 8.7
chin music
  • Archaic
1 9.9
small talk
  • Informal
65 2.1

Surface Forms

chin music singular
chin musics plural

Morphology

chin + music

The meanings of 'chin' and 'music' do not compositionally yield 'foolish or idle talk'—'music' as 'sound' and 'chin' as a body part give no clear cue to this slang sense. 'Chin music' is an idiomatic/slang expression whose meaning is metaphorical and unpredictable from its parts, so a B1 learner knowing the words would not reliably infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Chin music may come from the image of someone moving their chin and making little noises, like useless music while they chat. So the phrase came to mean 'foolish or idle talk'.