1.chat的基本意思是轻松、无拘无束地、愉快地、语流松散地、不假思索地谈话,一般作“聊天,闲谈”解。
2.chat只用作不及物动词,“闲谈”的内容常由介词about引出,“闲谈”的对方常用介词to或with引出。
3.chat与over连用，表示“一边…一边聊天”。

chat away(v.+adv.)
闲谈 chat; talk or converse casually
▲chat away
They sometimes chatted away for hours.他们有时一聊就是几个小时。
Mary and Nancy chatted away across the room.玛丽和南希一个在房间这一端,一个在房间那一端闲聊着。
▲chat away about sth
They were chatting away about old times.他们聊开了往事。
The two friends chatted away to each other about the weather.两个朋友谈论着天气。

chat of〔about〕(v.+prep.)
闲聊… speak freely
▲chat of〔about〕 sth
They were chatting of old times.他们在畅叙过去的时光。
We chatted about the Russian ballet which is to give its first-night performance next week.我们闲聊了下周将举行的夜场首演的俄国芭蕾舞剧团。

chat over(v.+prep.)
一边…一边聊天 do as (sth) as talk
▲chat over sth
They like to chat over tea.他们喜欢一边喝茶一边聊天。

chat up(v.+adv.)
闲谈 talk to sb in a way that is intended to win their friendship or gain an advantage
▲chat sb ⇔ up
Stop trying to chat me up!别跟我闲扯!
I wouldn't try chatting her up if I were you.我要是你,就不会设法跟她搭讪。
He likes chatting up the newcomers.他喜欢跟新来的人搭讪。
She chatted up the producer in the hope of getting a part in his next film.她跟制片人搭讪,希望在他的下一部影片中担任一个角色。
Peter is at his usual tricks again, chatting up the girls.彼得又在玩老把戏,他正跟姑娘们搭讪。
◇ 用于be ～ed结构
She was being chatted up by a young man when I arrived on the scene.我一到那儿正好撞见有个小伙子在和她搭讪。

chat with(v.+prep.)
与某人闲聊某事 talk to sb
▲chat with sb (about sth)
I chatted with his father for a while.我与他父亲聊了一会儿。
He was happily chatting with Jack.他与杰克正谈得高兴。
He chatted with me about our affairs.他与我闲聊了我们的一些事情。

用作不及物动词
▲S+～(+A)
They were chatting in the corner.他们在屋角里闲聊。
The boys chatted gaily while they dressed.男孩子们边穿衣服边兴高采烈地闲聊。
My neighbor and I were chatting over the fence after supper.我和邻居晚饭后隔着栅栏闲聊。
We usually chat together for a while between classes.我们在课余往往闲谈一会儿。
▲S+～+n-A
We sat by the fire and chatted all evening.我们坐在火堆旁,聊了一个晚上。
其他
▲v-ing as Adverb.
We spent a cozy evening chatting by the fire.我们在炉火房聊天，度过了一个舒适的晚上。

chat, converse, speak, talk
参见speak条。

1.chat作“闲聊,聊天”解时,是可数名词,偶尔可作不可数名词,意思是“说长道短”。
2.chat后常接about引出闲聊的内容,接with引出与之闲谈的“对方”。

He enjoys a chat for his own sake.他就是喜欢聊天。
There is too much chat in this office!这间办公室里闲聊的过多了。
We need less chat and more work if we're to finish this job today.如果我们想在今天结束这一工作,我们必须少说多干。
He sat down and went into chat with her.他坐下和她闲聊起来。
She called up a friend just for a chat.她给朋友打了个电话,不过聊聊天而已。
My friends often drop in for coffee and a chat.我的朋友常顺便来喝咖啡聊天。
Would you care to come and have a chat with me?如果你不介意的话,过来和我聊聊天?
You've been having quite a long chat with the doctor.你已经和医生聊了很久了。
I had a chat about that with Mary.我跟玛丽聊过此事。
We had a nice chat about our schooldays.我们愉快地闲聊学生时代的情况。
The two friends had a pleasant chat about old times.那两位朋友愉快地闲聊了往事。

chat, conversation, dialogue, discussion
参见conversation条。

［同义词］ v. converse, talk n. conversation, gossip, talk
［词源］  ＜chatter的缩略形式