holler 'shout out' jabber 'talk in a noisy, excited, or declamatory manner' carol 'sing carols' yodel 'sing by changing register; sing by yodeling' warble 'sing by changing register; sing by yodeling' descant 'sing by changing register; sing by yodeling' mutter 'talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice' stammer 'speak haltingly' intone 'utter monotonously and repetitively and rhythmically' chant 'utter monotonously and repetitively and rhythmically' babble 'to talk foolishly' maunder 'talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice' babble 'utter meaningless sounds, like a baby, or utter in an incoherent way' blether 'to talk foolishly' mumble 'talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice' blather 'to talk foolishly' mouth off 'talk in a noisy, excited, or declamatory manner' rabbit on 'talk in a noisy, excited, or declamatory manner' spout 'talk in a noisy, excited, or declamatory manner' stutter 'speak haltingly' holler out 'shout out' blither 'to talk foolishly' smatter 'to talk foolishly' rave 'talk in a noisy, excited, or declamatory manner' tone 'utter monotonously and repetitively and rhythmically' falter 'speak haltingly' whisper 'speak softly; in a low voice' mussitate 'talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice' rant 'talk in a noisy, excited, or declamatory manner' bumble 'speak haltingly' croon 'sing softly'
chatter 'COD: talk rapidly or incessantly about trivial matters' jabber 'COD: talk rapidly and excitedly but with little sense.' drawl 'COD: speak in a slow, lazy way with prolonged vowel sounds' gabble 'COD: talk rapidly and unintelligibly.' whisper 'COD: speak very softly using one's breath rather than one's throat. ' rant 'COD: speak or shout at length in a wild, impassioned way. ' slur 'FN: speak or articulate speech indistinctly.' mumble 'COD: say something indistinctly and quietly.' sing 'COD: make musical sounds with the voice, especially words with a set tune.' chant 'COD: say or shout repeatedly in a sing-song tone' simper 'FN: to speak with a silly, self-conscious, coy smile.' rave 'COD: talk wildly or incoherently.' stammer 'COD: speak with sudden involuntary pauses and a tendency to repeat the initial letters of words. ' lisp 'COD: to speak in a manner in which 's' is pronounced like 'th' in 'thick' and 'z' is pronounced like 'th' in 'this'' gibber 'COD: speak rapidly and unintelligibly, typically through fear or shock.' babble 'COD: talk rapidly and continuously in a foolish, excited, or incomprehensible way' mutter 'COD: say in a barely audible voice.' natter 'COD: chat casually.' shout 'COD: speak or call out very loudly. ' stutter 'COD: talk with continued involuntary repetition of sounds, especially initial consonants. ' bluster 'COD: talk in a loud, aggressive, or indignant way with little effect' mouth 'COD: say (something) in an insincere or pompous way' prattle 'COD: talk at length in a foolish or inconsequential way.'
The speaker faltered when he saw his opponent enter the room The old man is only babbling--don't pay attention The two women babbled and crooned at the baby The Austrians were yodeling in the mountains They went caroling on Christmas Day He hollered out to surrender our weapons The students chanted the same slogan over and over again
Examples from VerbNet
Susan whispered, 'Leave the room.' Susan whispered the news/a few words. Susan whispered to Rachel that the party would be tonight. Susan whispered about the party. Susan whispered to Rachel how to avoid the crowd. Susan whispered to come. Susan whispered the news/a few words to/at Rachel. Susan whispered. Susan whispered to/at Rachel. Susan whispered to Rachel, 'Leave the room.' Susan whispered to Rachel to come. Susan whispered that the party would be tonight. Susan whispered how to avoid the crowd. Susan whispered for me to come.
Examples from SemCor
It is harder, he muttered, to meditate on man( or woman) than on God. The terms are fairly safe to use on this side of the ocean, but before you start spouting them to your date, it might be best to find_out if he was a member of Major_Pockmanster 's Delhi_Regiment, since resentment toward the natives was reportedly very high in_that outfit. he whispered. Nodding approvingly and swelling with importance, the old lady whispered confidentially. Mercer stammered, not knowing what B' dikkat meant, and the two-nosed man answered for him,`` I think he has a nice baby head, but it is n't big enough for you to take yet''. The latter, thanking her for the coffee, had winked and muttered,`` Sure_'_nuff, honey''. We got to one house where there were five secessionist they brok+ run and Arch holored_out to shoot the ornery suns_of_biches and we all let_go at them. His speech faltered. `` Uh- sorry''! he muttered, and took_off, obviously feeling like a fool. When Juanita awoke, Kate was still rocking the dead child, still crooning in disbelief,`` No, no, oh, no!'' The final group included folk_songs from back home, stomped out, shouted and chanted with irresistible spirit and in cowboy costume. Gibby asked, not bothering to whisper. Grosse muttered, his head down, one hand playing with the zipper on his jacket. The two women babbled and crooned at him. Mr._Manuel whispered in the ears of the Sioux that the Cheyennes were comin' to raid' em for their horses. I looked_for Jessica to materialize out of the clogging, crowd and, as the time passed and I waited, a fiend came_to_life beside me and whispered in my ear: How was I planning to greet Jessica? She stammered,`` You heard what he said about police? `` I made you what you are'', Gavin whispered. Watson had nodded absently and muttered that he would check the lists himself later. `` Grubb'', Felix whispered. However, such a hotbed of gossip had grown up during the trial, that every precaution had to be taken to keep my visit from being whispered to the world, Society, and even, alas, to my own mother. But on to the frothier side, Johnny_Weissmuller, the only real Tarzan, telephoned Maureen_O' Sullivan, his first`` Jane''[ now at Drury_Lane, and muttered,`` Me Tarzan, this Jane''? He sucked_in his breath and kept quiet while Killpath laid down the sheet again, wound the gold wire stems of his glasses around his ears and_then, eying the report as it lay before him on the desk, intoned,`` Acting_Lieutenant_Gunnar_Matson one failed to see that the station_keeper was properly relieved two absented himself throughout the entire watch without checking on the station 's activities or the whereabouts of his section sergeants three permitted members of the Homicide_Detail of the Inspector's_Bureau to arrogate for their own convenience a patrolman who was thereby prevented from carrying_on his proper assignment four failed to notify the station commander Acting_Captain_O._T._Killpath of a homicide occurring in the district five frequented extralegal establishments after-hours spots for purposes of an unofficial and purportedly social nature and six''- he leaned_back and peeled_off his glasses``- failed to co-operate with the Acting_Captain by returning promptly when so ordered. He put the basket down distastefully, muttering softly and thoroughly disgusted with himself and his plan that had seemed so foolproof. As she worked she absentmindedly crooned, producing a curious sound. , and Berman sifted_out all alone on the stage with the ambling chords and beat of the song just whispering into being. `` It was Brenner 's idea'', Jess mumbled, dabbing at his nose. Ramsey has a thing or two to mutter about himself, for the Dallas defensive unit turned_in another splendid effort against Denver, and the Texans were able to whip the dangerous Broncs without the fullbacking of a top star, Jack_Spikes, though he did the team 's place-kicking while nursing a knee injury. They answered him in monosyllables, nods, occasionally muttering in Greek to one another, awaiting the word from Papa, who restlessly cracked his knuckles, anxious to stuff himself into his white Cadillac and burst off to the freeway. Gracias'', I hollered, my first long swallow filling me with confidence and immediately doubling the size of my Spanish vocabulary. Perhaps she had no reason to fear these trees that whispered their secrets above her head as she passed. He glanced down into his beard and muttered something in Yiddish. He stopped and whispered his errand. In the Riverside dugout Frankie_Ricco, shortstop, whispered into Phil 's ear:`` There 's gonna be a fight''. `` I suppose'', he muttered,`` I can sell the outfit for enough to send you home to your folks, once we find a settlement''. `` Uhhu'', she muttered. He mumbled at her but let himself be led off inside the house, shuffling mightily to make it clear how weak and aged he was and_how he was buffeted about by those who still had their wicked strength. He hollered hoarsely,`` Hang_on''! and goaded the oxen as he yelled. `` Good_ole lob-scuse'', he mumbled, and stirred the pot. He seemed to be muttering, his voice surprisingly clear. `` I 'll get_around_to it a_little later'', he mumbled desperately. Probably, as in Scriptures, a still, small voice would whisper. `` My_God'', he muttered. During the return trip, Barco kept muttering to himself in meaningless phrases, such_as: `` I loved this valley'', he whispered huskily. `` You take_it_easy, boy'', Clayton whispered. Finally, Orville intoned through his hawk_nose,`` We can have people running in any time they please, Sergeant''. No action of his be interpreted in his favor and four midshipmen, prior to their knowing the significance of the Greek paper, had seen it in Cromwell 's hands while Spencer whispered explanations. Amateur linguists note here that Pursewarden, in Durrell 's Alexandria_Quartet, stammered when he spoke of his wife, which is hardly surprising in_view of their disastrous relationship. Prevot came_up`` Take that spot over there'', he whispered, pointing to a small clump of blackness. One day when he attended a war memorial ceremony in Westminster_Abbey his view was obstructed by a stout man on his left, his attention turned to the irregular pattern of the rough slab flooring and someone, clasping him by the arm, whispered,`` I want a word with you, please''. If a child watched its progress he whispered,`` Hay, hay, load of hay- make a wish and turn_away'', and then stared rigidly in the opposite direction until the sound of the horses' feet returned no_more. He passed the receptionist in the outer office, muttering,`` I 've got to go_out for a little while''. And, when the slat finally shatters, we see him count the fragments, all the while muttering,`` He loves me, he loves me not''. The two women babbled and crooned at him.