Dictionary

make conversation en · VERB

Meanings

1. To talk with someone out of courtesy, to pass time, or in an effort to engage with them socially.
   • Lee felt that disaster lurked ahead, and he did his best to stave it off by making conversation. 1923, Max Brand, chapter 18, in The Quest of Lee Garrison, New York: Leisure Books, published 1999, page 135:
   • […] mechanically like a hostess whose mind is elsewhere but who must make conversation with however uninteresting a guest, she said, ‘Pretty girl, jig jig, one pound.’ 1948, Graham Greene, The Heart of the Matter, London: Heinemann, Part Two, Chapter 1, section 3, p. 208:
   • They had their meals with Mr. Gibson and Molly, and were felt to be terribly in the way; Mr. Gibson not being a man who could make conversation, and hating the duty of talking under restraint. 1864 August – 1866 January, [Elizabeth] Gaskell, chapter 3, in Wives and Daughters. An Every-day Story. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Smith, Elder and Co., […], published 1866, →OCLC:
   • One day, when a neighbour called and sat in the kitchen with them having tea, Eilis realized that her mother and Rose were doing everything to hide their feelings. The neighbour, almost casually, as a way of making conversation, said: “You’ll miss her when she's gone, I'd say.” 2009, Colm Tóibín, Brooklyn, New York: Scribner, published 2015, page 30:

Forms

Relateds

shoot the breeze · small talk

Translations (7)

pl prowadzić rozmowę (to talk with someone out of courtesy) · fi keskustella (to talk with someone out of courtesy) · es entablar una conversación (to talk with someone out of courtesy) · fr faire la conversation (to talk with someone out of courtesy) · fi rupatella (to talk with someone out of courtesy) · it fare conversazione (to talk with someone out of courtesy) · fi jutella (to talk with someone out of courtesy)