1. (

• chew_the_fat ,
• shoot_the_breeze ,
• chat ,
• confabulate ,
• confab ,
• chitchat ,
• chit-chat ,
• chatter ,
• chaffer ,
• natter ,
• gossip ,
• jaw ,
• claver ,
• visit

) talk socially without exchanging too much information; "the men were sitting in the cafe and shooting the breeze" ;

2. (

• yack ,
• jaw ,
• yack_away ,
• rattle_on ,
• yap_away

) talk incessantly and tiresomely ;

3. (

• chew ,
• masticate ,
• manducate ,
• jaw

) chew (food); to bite and grind with the teeth; "He jawed his bubble gum"; "Chew your food and don't swallow it!"; "The cows were masticating the grass" ;

4. (

• call_on_the_carpet ,
• take_to_task ,
• rebuke ,
• rag ,
• trounce ,
• lecture ,
• reprimand ,
• jaw ,
• dress_down ,
• call_down ,
• scold ,
• chide ,
• berate ,
• bawl_out ,
• remonstrate ,
• chew_out ,
• chew_up ,
• have_words ,
• lambaste ,
• lambast

) censure severely or angrily; "The mother scolded the child for entering a stranger's car"; "The deputy ragged the Prime Minister"; "The customer dressed down the waiter for bringing cold soup" ;