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Sprat

//spɹæt// noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Any of various small, herring-like, marine fish in the genus Sprattus, in the family Clupeidae.
  2. 2
    small herring processed like a sardine wordnet
  3. 3
    Any of various similar fish of other genera.
  4. 4
    small fatty European fish; usually smoked or canned like sardines wordnet
  5. 5
    Anything petty or insignificant. broadly
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  1. 6
    A sixpence. UK, obsolete, slang

    "The price of a case (five shillings piece bad) from the smasher is about one shilling; an alderman (two and sixpence) about sixpence; a peg (shilling) about threepence; a downer or sprat (sixpence) about twopence."

Verb
  1. 1
    To manure (land) with sprats (the fish). historical, transitive

    "[…] spratting the land. This treatment is supplemented by about half a ton of artificial manure, largely made up of a mixture of superphosphate and some nitrogenous manure."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English sprotte, from Old English sprot. Older source is unknown. Cognate with German Sprotte, Dutch sprot. Compare sprout.

Etymology 2

From Middle English sprotte, from Old English sprot. Older source is unknown. Cognate with German Sprotte, Dutch sprot. Compare sprout.

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