gift of the gab
- idiom
- Informal
:
don de la palabra
- I wish I had the gift of the gab to persuade my colleagues during meetings.
Examples
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I've always admired people who have the "gift of the gab"; they make it look so easy.
Blog text (8) -
-He's not blessed with the gift of the gab.
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Did you lose your gift of the gab?
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My grandpa was also known for his gift of the gab.
Blog text (8) -
I wish I had the gift of the gab, but I don't think I ever will.
Blog text (8) -
- I've always had the gift of the gab, Cherry.
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WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE IRISH GIFT OF THE GAB?
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My grandpa was also known for his gift of the gab and could charm anyone he spoke to.
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People with the gift of the gab often excel in careers like sales and public speaking.
Synonyms
20
6.1
The skill of speaking clearly and strongly to persuade people
13
5.0
Skill at speaking or writing in a pleasant, convincing way
3
7.4
A skill at speaking in a way that convinces people
Antonyms
How Persuasive
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase literally combines 'gift' (an innate talent) with 'gab' (talking/chatter), so a learner who knows both words can infer 'a talent for talking' — closely matching the MWE meaning of speaking easily and confidently. The prepositional structure 'gift of the X' is transparent and many languages have equivalent constructions, making the overall sense directly derivable from the parts.
Etymology
Gift of the gab may come from older Irish English where gab meant 'talk' and gift meant a natural 'talent'. So picture someone born with a small present for their mouth who can talk easily and charm people, and that's why the phrase means 'the ability to speak easily and persuade others'.