Green’s Dictionary of Slang

to converse, to discuss, thus confabbing, conversation, discussion.

1778		Mme D’Arblay Diary and Letters (1904) 139: Mrs. Thrale and I were dressing, and, as usual, confabbing.
1884		J. Harrison ‘Negro English’ in Anglia VII 270: Time fer confabbin* = a time to talk.
1895		Mirror of Life 23 Nov. 2/2: We have seen the jeunesse dorée follow in his wake [...] and glad, when the mighty Jem failed to recognise them, to confab with [...] his manager.
1916		A. Brazil Luckiest Girl in School 126: ‘Where’s Margaret? I want to confab’.
1917		‘Henry Handel Richardson’ Aus. Felix (1971) 21: Now we didn’t come here tonight to confab about getting votes.
1933		M. Marshall Tramp-Royal on the Toby 105: We sat confabbing by the roadside.
2009		L. McIlvanney All the Colours 83: There was a bit of confabbing and then two climbed into the back.