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Spat
Definitions
- 1 The spawn of shellfish, especially oysters and similar molluscs. countable, uncountable
"As spat-fall often occurs in areas away from environments suitable for oyster growing, the collection, transport and sale of oyster spat has developed into a separate industry."
- 2 A covering or decorative covering worn over a shoe. in-plural, often
- 3 A brief argument, falling out, quarrel.
"get into a trivial spat over punctuality"
- 4 A light blow with something flat.
- 5 An obsolete unit of distance in astronomy (symbol S), equal to one billion kilometres.
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- 6 a young oyster or other bivalve wordnet
- 7 A juvenile shellfish which has attached to a hard surface. countable, uncountable
"Conditions in pearl oyster hatcheries are optimized for growth and survival of spat."
- 8 A piece of bodywork that covers the upper portions of the rear tyres of a car. Australia, UK
- 9 a cloth covering (a legging) that covers the instep and ankles wordnet
- 10 A drag-reducing aerodynamic fairing covering the upper portions of the tyres of an aeroplane equipped with non-retractable landing gear.
- 11 a quarrel about petty points wordnet
- 1 simple past and past participle of spit form-of, participle, past
"There was no sink in the room so we spat out the window."
- 2 To spawn, used of shellfish as above. ambitransitive
- 3 To quarrel or argue pettily briefly. intransitive
- 4 To strike with a spattering sound. intransitive, transitive
"He felt the wind of a second bullet that spatted against a boulder near Barney."
- 5 clap one's hands together wordnet
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- 6 To slap, as with the open hand; to clap together, as the hands. US, dialectal
"Little Isabel leaped up and down, spatting her hands."
- 7 spawn wordnet
- 8 engage in a brief and petty quarrel wordnet
- 9 clap one's hands or shout after performances to indicate approval wordnet
- 10 strike with a sound like that of falling rain wordnet
- 11 become permanently attached wordnet
- 12 come down like raindrops wordnet
Etymology
From Old English spittan, spætan.
Uncertain; perhaps related to spit.
Uncertain; perhaps related to spit.
Shortening of spatterdash, from spatter + dash. 1779.
1804. American English, probably imitative.
1804. American English, probably imitative.
Attested from 1823.
Attested from 1823.
From Latin spatium (“space”).
See also for "spat"
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