Definition of "drivel"

“You pay too much attention to such insipid drivel in even mentioning it.”

1879, Henry James, chapter XVII, in Confidence, London: Chatto & Windus

But what drivel I am writing! It is just an attempt to pass the weary time.

1913, Arthur Conan Doyle, “(please specify the page)”, in The Poison Belt […], London; New York, N.Y.: Hodder and Stoughton

A ray of light amid all this nonsense was Gwyn Topham's piece in the Guardian, which was timely, measured, accurate and of appropriate tone. That this single report stood out so clearly as an exemplar is a scathing comment in itself on the volumes of drivel surrounding it.

2020 August 26, Nigel Harris, “Comment Special: Catastrophe at Carmont”, in Rail, page 4

if thou didst know what a life I lead with that drivel, it would make thee even of pity receive me into thy only comfort

a. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., Philip Sidney], “(please specify the page number)”, in Fulke Greville, Matthew Gwinne, and John Florio, editors, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia [The New Arcadia], London: […] [John Windet] for William Ponsonbie, published 1590; republished in Albert Feuillerat, editor, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia (Cambridge English Classics: The Complete Works of Sir Philip Sidney; I), Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: University Press, 1912,

This drivelling love is like a great natural, that runs lolling up and down to hide his bauble in a hole.

c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act II, (please specify the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals)]

driveling dotard

1693, Decimus Junius Juvenalis, John Dryden, transl., “[The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis.] The Sixth Satyr”, in The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis. Translated into English Verse. […] Together with the Satires of Aulus Persius Flaccus. […], London: Printed for Jacob Tonson […]

that foul aged drivel

1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book IV, Canto II”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie

But that is a state of things, which must in time work its own cure. We cannot always go dribbling and drivelling along, government and people alike being the scoff of all onlookers.

1865 October 7, The Mercury, Hobart, page 2

There was a good deal of bustle and life at the inn; but three or four inebriates drivelling about the premises were 'suffering a recovery,' from the excitement of the previous night's entertainment.

1872 October 29, The Newcastle Chronicle, NSW, page 4

Walter was as silly as most men are when in love. He went drivelling off in pursuit of her "dear little work-worn hands"[.]

1914 May 30, The Darling Downs Gazette, Qld, page 2

Drivelling back to the shanty at midday presented him with a distracting gamble over lunch.

1938, Norman Lindsay, Age of Consent, 1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1962, page 122

"I am amazed to think we are in the second week of war and this country is still drivelling along with a small volunteer force," he added.

1939 September 15, The Daily Examiner, Grafton, NSW, page 5

Instead of drivelling away the precious initiative season of life in the vain labour of teaching tuneable voices to sing[.]

1858 August 17, The Ovens and Murray Advertiser, Beechworth, Vic, page 2

It is for the country to say whether we are to keep on in this backward course, whether we are to go on getting deeper and deeper into debt, whether we are to have increased taxation year after year. The bone and sinew of the land is drivelling away.

1872 August 31, The Mercury, Hobart, page 2