kibitz

present singular third person kibitzes · participle present kibitzing · participle past kibitzed · past kibitzed · alternative kibbitz

1. intransitiveTo make small talk or idle chatter.

   Louise and I used to head down to the coffee shop and just sit for hours and kibitz.

   4 more examples

   His wife Karen listened as John and I kibitzed about our experiences at the University of Oklahoma some 40 years ago.

   2004, Gerald W. Esch, Parasites, People, and Places: Essays on Field Parasitology, Cambridge University Press, →ISBN

   Okay, we kibitzed enough. What brings you?

   2004, David Daniel, Goofy Foot: An Alex Rasmussen Mystery, Minotaur Books, →ISBN

   Their owners lounge at the outdoor tables, kibitzing about cranksets, aero bars, local races or, when they can help it, anything other than cycling.

   2012 August 9, Liz Robbins, “Where Cyclists Fuel Up on Carbs”, in The New York Times

   So how it’s gonna go is we’re gonna talk for about 45 minutes. We’re just gonna kibbitz here; that’s Yiddish for just kinda like […]

   2018 December 10, Eric Johnson, “Full Q&A: Y Combinator’s Sam Altman and Recode’s Kara Swisher discuss tech ethics, addiction and Facebook”, in recode

   Synonyms: chat, gossip

2. intransitiveTo give unsolicited or unwanted advice or make unhelpful or idle comments, especially to someone playing a game.

   Quit kibitzing! You're giving away my hand!

3. intransitivetransitiveTo watch a card or board game.

   When it was my turn to stay in the office until 11 pm. closing, I kibitzed on their poker games and heard some colorful tales.

   2012, Nona Baldwin Brown, Through the Opening Door: My Pioneering Journey in Mainstream Journalism, iUniverse, →ISBN, page 37

   1 more example

   […] stayed in the dorm, although she lived in Brooklyn Heights, and I frequently spent long hours with her, either in her room or at the student lounge, where we drank coffee and smoked cigarettes and kibitzed the never-ending bridge game.

   2002, Elisabeth Merrett, Storied Landscapes: A Journey, iUniverse, →ISBN, page 103