blabtongue

See also: blab-tongue

English

Alternative forms

• blab-tongue

Etymology

blab +‎ tongue

Noun

blabtongue (plural blabtongues)

1. (obsolete) An informant.
   • 1600, Rev. Samuel Nicholson, edited by Rev. Alexander B. Grosart, Acolastus: His After-Witte, published 1876, page 14, lines 229–234:

     Much like a Curre (ſaid I) nay not so wiſe; / For why I know my griefes vnhappie ground, / I ſee the roote from whence my paſſions riſe, / And view the lure, that did my life confound: / O blab-tongue Tantalus, why doſt not eate? / Fondling, t'is I must pine in ſight of meate.

   • 1683, John Chalkhill, Thealma and Clearchus, Chiswick: C. Wittingham, published 1820, page 28:

     Report, the blab-tongue of those tell-tale times, / That rather magnifies than lessens crimes,

2. (obsolete) A gossip.
   • 1718, The Entertainer, London: Nathaniel Mist, page 37:

     Unleſs perhaps ſome unſociable rattling Diſturber or other falls in among 'em and breaks thro' all the Rules of good Breeding and Diſcretion; whoſe Company is a Peſt, and carries Infection about with it; whoſe ungovernable Blab Tongue is able to put a whole Pariſh into a blazing; to turn all the all the Tea in the Town; or even to curdle and ſowr the very Milk and Sugar in it.

Synonyms

• (informant): blabtale, grass, snitch, tattletale; See also Thesaurus:informant
• (gossip): blabtale, gossip, rumourmonger, tattletale; See also Thesaurus:gossiper