Spat

//spæt// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 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. 2
    A covering or decorative covering worn over a shoe. in-plural, often
  3. 3
    A brief argument, falling out, quarrel.

    "get into a trivial spat over punctuality"

  4. 4
    A light blow with something flat.
  5. 5
    An obsolete unit of distance in astronomy (symbol S), equal to one billion kilometres.
Show 6 more definitions
  1. 6
    a young oyster or other bivalve wordnet
  2. 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."

  3. 8
    A piece of bodywork that covers the upper portions of the rear tyres of a car. Australia, UK
  4. 9
    a cloth covering (a legging) that covers the instep and ankles wordnet
  5. 10
    A drag-reducing aerodynamic fairing covering the upper portions of the tyres of an aeroplane equipped with non-retractable landing gear.
  6. 11
    a quarrel about petty points wordnet
Verb
  1. 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. 2
    To spawn, used of shellfish as above. ambitransitive
  3. 3
    To quarrel or argue pettily briefly. intransitive
  4. 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. 5
    clap one's hands together wordnet
Show 7 more definitions
  1. 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."

  2. 7
    spawn wordnet
  3. 8
    engage in a brief and petty quarrel wordnet
  4. 9
    clap one's hands or shout after performances to indicate approval wordnet
  5. 10
    strike with a sound like that of falling rain wordnet
  6. 11
    become permanently attached wordnet
  7. 12
    come down like raindrops wordnet

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Old English spittan, spætan.

Etymology 2

Uncertain; perhaps related to spit.

Etymology 3

Uncertain; perhaps related to spit.

Etymology 4

Shortening of spatterdash, from spatter + dash. 1779.

Etymology 5

1804. American English, probably imitative.

Etymology 6

1804. American English, probably imitative.

Etymology 7

Attested from 1823.

Etymology 8

Attested from 1823.

Etymology 9

From Latin spatium (“space”).

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