tattling

1. gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of tattle

plural tattlings

1. The speech of one who tattles.

   Peace your tattlings!

   c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wiues of Windsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]

   2 more examples

   […] that chaste and sober widow […] coming to Thy church, not for idle tattlings and old wives’ fables, but that she might hear Thee in Thy discourses […]

   1859, John Baillie, chapter 13, in St. Augustine: A Biographical Memoir, New York: Robert Carter & Bros, page 112

   […] we could have a glorious and radiant world here and now, a bright and happy world! There would be joy and gladness and singing in it, with plenty of work for everyone, but it would all be happy work; there would be no bad tempers, or tattlings, or scoldings, or ox beating, or ugliness.

   1935, Nellie McClung, chapter 13, in Clearing in the West, Toronto: Thomas Allen