From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishchatchat1 /tʃæt/ ●●○ verb (chatted, chatting) [intransitive] 1 (also chat away) especially British EnglishTALK TO somebody to talk in a friendly informal way, especially about things that are not important John and I sat up until the early hours chatting.chat with/to Mary was there, chatting to her mother.chat about Susie chatted away about her social life.2 to communicate with several people in a chat room on the InternetGRAMMAR: Reciprocal verbsChat is a reciprocal verb. This type of verb is used when saying that two or more people or things do something that involves both or all of them: The boys were chatting. You can also say: The boys were chatting with each other.He was chatting with the boys. → chat somebody ↔ up→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
chat• The girls were sitting on the steps, chatting.• We drank our coffee and chatted about our experiences.• The two women chatted all evening.• Taking a breath, Calipari smiles and wades into the throng, chatting amiably as he obliges each request.• That would be her neighbour wanting to chat for a few minutes.• Ever so subtly, still chatting navigation with me, Neil accommodates, reeling Rachel in at just the right time.• Meanwhile, over breakfast, we chatted of this and that.• Harry chatted to a couple of Australian tourists as we waited for the show to begin.• You can chat to Brad Pitt live this evening.• However, time passed pleasantly enough, chatting to other members of my group and absorbing the atmosphere of the building.• When Dexter met the superintendent twenty minutes later, Blanche stood outside the Inside Out office still chatting to the security guard.• We were alone, with a dilatory guard outside chatting with a secretary.chat with/to• Some pass the evening chatting to a Member of Parliament on a fact-finding mission.• A companion who would sit and chat with her, like she and Maisie used to chat?• The parents and grandparents chat with one another as they get their books together and begin to go downstairs.• Dad really enjoys chatting with people from other countries.• The three of them chatted with some of the Soviet negotiators to the Geneva talks.• In 1980 I got chatting to Stan Francourt, the caddie who was with me when I had the accident in 1973.• This woman with a red headscarf is looking at them and chatting to the man behind the stall.• When Dexter met the superintendent twenty minutes later, Blanche stood outside the Inside Out office still chatting to the security guard.chatchat2 ●●○ noun [countable, uncountable] especially British EnglishTALK TO somebody an informal friendly conversationchat with I’ve had a long chat with Vinnie.chat about a chat about the weather She was enjoying their friendly little chat. She used to drop in for a chat quite often. → backchatCOLLOCATIONSverbshave a chatWe were just having a chat.call in/round for a chatAre you free later if I call in for a chat?meet up for a chatSometimes we go to the cinema or just meet up for a chat.enjoy a chatMost people enjoy a good chat.adjectivesa little chatWhy don’t you call her and have a little chat.a brief chat formal:My manager said he wanted to have a brief chat with me.a bit of a chat spoken British English:Perhaps I could have a bit of a chat with him.a long chatWe sat down and had a long chat.a friendly chatNew students sometimes just need to have a friendly chat with someone.a cosy chat (=a relaxed and usually private one)I made some coffee and we had a cosy chat.an informal chatCome and see me any time if you want an informal chat about jobs.a private/confidential chatHave a confidential chat with the school nurse.a quiet chat (=one that other people will not interrupt.)Let’s go and have a quiet chat over lunch.an online chat (=one had with someone over the internet)With MSN you can have an online chat with your friends. Examples from the Corpus
chat• You and your companion can learn french, practise yoga - or simply have a coffee and a chat.• He was a very nice man and said we could come in for a chat.• He didn't want anything in particular. He just stopped for a chat.• I'm actually glad you're late - it gave Ken and me a chance to have a good chat.• Allow a minute or two of informal chat to relax both of you.• Informal chats with guests provide an excellent opportunity to meet consumers and answer their questions about farming and food production.• Sit down, my dear, I'd like to have a little chat with you.• She is a natural chat artiste and has pulled the Oprah act of walking into the crowd in speeches before.• Mary took Tina in the other room for a private chat.had ... chat• And he had the chat to go with it.• Suddenly he had time to chat.• He told me that he had chatted with my father.• You see, I had a chat with Nicola at the party and Maggie became hysterical.• I had a chat with Lynne Donato this morning.• She thought about the few times in the past two months when they had chatted over the phone.• They had a brief chat that Will remembers well.From Longman Business Dictionarychatchat /tʃæt/ verb [intransitive] COMPUTINGto have a conversation with other people on the Internet by typing in your wordsChatting is one of the most popular activities on the Internet. —chat noun [uncountable]Chat has its own jargon which is not used in other forms of English.→ See Verb tableOrigin chat2 (1400-1500) chatter 