to yap away
1
8.4
- phrasal verb
- Informal
:
hablar sin parar
- I've literally seen youngsters swaying and shaking uncontrollably after yapping away or texting.
Examples
-
During the meeting, she just kept yapping away about her vacation plans, and it was hard to concentrate.
-
- Oh, just keep yapping away.
-
What am I doing, yapping away with some idiot?
-
The other problem is, it's dull to watch people yap away on phones.
Blog text (2) -
You're yapping away like there's no fucking tomorrow.
-
The noisy walker is the one yapping away on a cell phone at a decibel only dogs could hear.
Blog text (25) -
I find it annoying when people yap away in the cinema instead of watching the movie.
-
Whenever we go out for coffee, he spends the entire time yapping away about his new job.
Synonyms
86
2.7
To talk quickly and without stopping about unimportant things
75
4.4
Talk quickly in a silly way that is hard to understand
14
9.0
Talk loudly for a long time while complaining
10
6.0
Talk for a long time in a boring, flat voice
9
8.4
To talk on and on in a silly way about unimportant things
8
6.5
To talk quickly and excitedly in a way that is hard to understand
6
7.7
To talk for a long time in a relaxed, often boring way
5
6.6
To talk for a long time about small boring things
3
8.8
To talk a lot about unimportant things in an annoying way
2
7.7
To talk a lot in an annoying, noisy way
1
7.9
To talk to someone for a long time in a way that annoys them
1
7.9
To talk quickly and unclearly so others cannot understand you
1
9.1
Talk for a long time in a way that annoys other people
1
8.7
To talk for a long time in a noisy, excited way about small things
1
6.4
To talk so much that you stop others from speaking
To talk quickly and without stopping about unimportant things
To talk a lot in a silly, pointless way
To talk for a long time in a casual or boring way
To talk a lot about unimportant things
Speak to someone for a very long time in a way that annoys them
To speak to someone for a very long time until they get tired of listening
Speak with someone for a very long time until they get tired
Antonyms
How Talkative
Surface Forms
Morphology
Both constituents directly contribute to the meaning: 'yap' means to chatter annoyingly and 'away' marks continuous or ongoing action, so the combined sense 'talk continuously in a tiresome/annoying way' is immediately derivable. This verb+away composition is a regular, transparent pattern in English and would be understandable to a B1 learner who knows the two words.
Etymology
The verb yap away comes from the quick, high bark of small dogs; yap is that sharp dog sound. So, when someone yaps away, you can imagine constant, annoying barking, which is why the phrase means 'to talk continuously and in a tiresome or annoying way'.