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Spat

21 dictionary results for: spat

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spat1

[spat] Pronunciation Key, noun, verb, spat·ted, spat·ting.

–noun

1.	a petty quarrel.

2.	a light blow; slap; smack.

–verb (used without object)

3.	to engage in a petty quarrel or dispute.

4.	to splash or spatter; rain spatting against the window.

–verb (used with object)

5.	to strike lightly; slap.

[Origin: 1795–1805, Americanism; perh. imit.

]

—Synonyms 1. tiff, scrap, set-to.

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spat2

[spat] Pronunciation Key,

–verb

a pt. and pp. of spit¹.

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spat3

[spat] Pronunciation Key,

–noun

a short gaiter worn over the instep and usually fastened under the foot with a strap, worn esp. in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

[Origin: 1795–1805; short for spatterdash

]

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
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spat4

[spat] Pronunciation Key,

–noun

1.	the spawn of an oyster or similar shellfish.

2.	young oysters collectively.

3.	a young oyster.

4.	seed oyster.

[Origin: 1350–1400; ME; orig. uncert.

]

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spit1

[spit] Pronunciation Key verb, spit or spat, spit·ting, noun

–verb (used without object)

1.	to eject saliva from the mouth; expectorate.

2.	to express hatred, contempt, etc., by or as if by ejecting saliva from the mouth.

3.	to sputter: grease spitting on the fire.

4.	to fall in scattered drops or flakes, as rain or snow.

–verb (used with object)

5.	to eject from the mouth: The children were spitting watermelon seeds over the fence.

6.	to throw out or emit like saliva: The kettle spits boiling water over the stove.

7.	to set a flame to.

–noun

8.	saliva, esp. when ejected.

9.	the act of spitting.

10.	Entomology. spittle.

11.	a light fall of rain or snow.

—Verb phrase

12.	spit up, to vomit; throw up: The wounded soldier spat up blood. If you jostle the baby, she'll spit up.

—Idiom

13.	spit and image. Also, spitting image, spit 'n' image. Informal. exact likeness; counterpart: Hunched over his desk, pen in hand, he was the spit and image of his father at work.

[Origin: bef. 950; (v.) ME spitten, OE spittan; c. G (dial.) spitzen to spit; akin to OE spǣtan to spit, spātl spittle; (n.) ME, deriv. of the v.

]

—Related forms

spitlike, adjective

—Synonyms 3. spatter.

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

spat¹ (spāt) Pronunciation Key
v. A past tense and a past participle of spit¹.

(Download Now or Buy the Book)
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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spat² (spāt) Pronunciation Key
n. pl. spat or spats

An oyster or similar bivalve mollusk in the larval stage, especially when it settles to the bottom and begins to develop a shell.
The spawn of an oyster or a similar mollusk.

intr.v. spat·ted, spat·ting, spats
To spawn. Used of oysters and similar mollusks.

[Middle English.]

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spat³ (spāt) Pronunciation Key
n. A cloth or leather gaiter covering the shoe upper and the ankle and fastening under the shoe with a strap. Often used in the plural.

[Short for spatterdash : spatter + dash¹.]

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spat⁴ (spāt) Pronunciation Key
n.

A brief quarrel.
Informal A slap or smack.
A spattering sound, as of raindrops.

v. spat·ted, spat·ting, spats

v. intr.

To engage in a brief quarrel.
To strike with a light spattering sound; slap.

v. tr. Informal
To slap.

[Origin unknown.]

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spit¹ (spĭt) Pronunciation Key
n.

Saliva, especially when expectorated; spittle.
The act of expectorating.
Something, such as the frothy secretion of spittle bugs, that resembles spit.
A brief, scattered rainfall or snowfall.
Informal The perfect likeness: He's the spit and image of his father.

v. spat (spāt) or spit, spit·ting, spits

v. tr.

To eject from the mouth: spat out the grape seeds.
To eject as if from the mouth: a fire spitting sparks.
To emit suddenly and forcefully: spat out an insult.

v. intr.

To eject matter from the mouth; expectorate.
To express contempt or animosity by or as if by ejecting matter from the mouth.
To make a hissing or sputtering noise.
To rain or snow in light, scattered drops or flakes.

Phrasal Verb(s):
spit up
To vomit.

[Middle English, from spitten, to spit, from Old English spittan, ultimately of imitative origin.]

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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
spat (1)

"petty quarrel," 1804, Amer.Eng., of unknown origin; perhaps somehow imitative (cf. spat "smack, slap," attested from 1823).

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spat (2)

"short gaiter covering the ankle," 1779, shortening of spatterdash "long gaiter to keep trousers or stockings from being spattered with mud" (1687), from spatter and dash (v.).

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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

spat
noun
1.	a quarrel about petty points [syn: bicker]
2.	a cloth covering (a legging) that covers the instep and ankles
3.	a young oyster or other bivalve
verb
1.	come down like raindrops; "Bullets were spatting down on us"
2.	become permanently attached; "mollusks or oysters spat"
3.	strike with a sound like that of falling rain; "Bullets were spatting the leaves"
4.	clap one's hands or shout after performances to indicate approval [syn: applaud] [ant: boo]
5.	engage in a brief and petty quarrel
6.	spawn; "oysters spat"
7.	clap one's hands together; "The children were clapping to the music" [syn: clap]

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Spat

Spat\, n. [Short for Spatterdash.]

1. A legging; a gaiter. [Scot. & Dial. Eng.]

2. A kind of short cloth or leather gaiter worn over the upper part of the shoe and fastened beneath the instep; -- chiefly in pl.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Spat

Spat\, imp. of Spit. [Obs. or R.]

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Spat

Spat\, n. [From the root of spit; hence, literally, that which is ejected.] A young oyster or other bivalve mollusk, both before and after it first becomes adherent, or such young, collectively.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Spat

Spat\, v. i. & t. To emit spawn; to emit, as spawn.

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Spat

Spat\, n. [Cf. Pat.]

1. A light blow with something flat. [U.S. & Prov. Eng.]

2. Hence, a petty combat, esp. a verbal one; a little quarrel, dispute, or dissension. [U. S.]

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