Meaning

noun disclosing information or giving evidence about another

verb speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly

verb divulge confidential information or secrets

originFrom Middle Dutch tatelen, tateren (“to babble, chatter”) (modern Dutch tatelen, tateren (“to talk, chatter”)), originally imitative. The word is cognate with Saterland Frisian tätelje (“to talk nonsense, babble”), Middle Low German tāteren, tadderen (“to babble, chatter”) (whence modern German Low German tatern (“to chatter”)), Low German tateln, täteln (“to cackle, gabble”). Compare also Middle…

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0