talk to (one)

1. To converse with one. I'll need to talk to David in HR about this situation. Be sure to talk to your parents or school counselor if any of these issues are affecting you directly.

2. To lecture, scold, reprimand, or rebuke one (about something). You need to go talk to Johnny—he just failed another test. I'll have to talk to Samantha about the quality of her reports.

See also: talk, to

talk to (oneself)

To speak one's thoughts out loud only for one's own benefit, without intending for someone else to hear them. A: "I could hear Dad talking to himself while putting the bookshelf together." B: "Yeah, and there were a lot of expletives—I don't think it was going well." A: "What did you say?" B: "Ah, nothing—I'm just talking to myself."

See also: talk, to

talk to someone

1. Lit. to speak to someone; to confer with someone. Talk to me! I really want your opinion. I will have to talk to Mark to see what he thinks.

2. Fig. to lecture to someone; to reprimand someone. I wish you would talk to your son. He is creating havoc in the classroom. I am going to have to talk to Roberta. She is not getting things clean.

See also: talk, to

talk to

Also, give a talking to. Scold, reprimand, as in The teacher said he'd have to talk to Jeff after school, or Dad gave us both a good talking to. [Colloquial; second half of 1800s] For talk to like a Dutch uncle, see Dutch uncle.

See also: talk, to

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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