prattlement (prat1ment)

[ The childish prattlement of pastoral composition. Cowper , Letter to Unwin, Oct. 31, 1779. prattler (prat'ler), n . [ prattle + -er1 .] One who prattles; a puerile or trifling talker. Poor prattler, how thou talk'st! Shak., Macbeth, iv. 2. 64. See cut under Glareola . prating (prā'ting), p. a. Chattering; talking idly; loquacious. prating (pra'ting), n. [Verbal n. of prate, v.] Idle or boastful talk. =Syn. Chatter, etc. See prattle. pratingly (pra'ting-li), adv. In a prating manner; with much idle talk; with loquacity. pratique, pratic (prat'ek, -ik), n. [Formerly also prattic, prattick, etc.; in later use conformed to the F., pratique, prattique, Howell , Letters, I. i. 26. At first, indeed, Prattick was allow'd, though only to two or three of our Seamen out of every Ship, who had the Favour to go ashoar. Milton, Letters of State, May, 1658. Almost as soon as we had anchored, the quarantine officer came on board and gave us pratique. E. Sartorius , In the Soudan, p. 93. 21. Experience; practice. One (either of Venice or Padoa) hath written unto a certain Florentine, of great prattick with strangers, to enquire after me amongst the Dutch nation. Sir H. Wotton, Reliquiæ, p. 663. How could any one of English education and prattique swallow such a low rabble suggestion? Much more monstrous is it to imagine readers so imposable upon to credit it upon any one's bare relation. IMG:content-0798.png:[blocks in formation] of potato. prau, n. Same as proa. H. O. Forbes, Eastern Archipelago, p. 126.