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View synonyms for spat

spat

1

[ spat ]

noun

  1. a petty quarrel.

    Synonyms: set-to, scrap, tiff

  2. a light blow; slap; smack.


verb (used without object)

, spat·ted, spat·ting.
  1. to engage in a petty quarrel or dispute.
  2. to splash or spatter; rain spatting against the window.

verb (used with object)

, spat·ted, spat·ting.
  1. to strike lightly; slap.

spat

2

[ spat ]

verb

  1. a simple past tense and past participle of spit 1.

spat

3

[ spat ]

noun

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

spat

4

[ spat ]

noun

, Zoology.
  1. the spawn of an oyster or similar shellfish.
  2. young oysters collectively, especially seed oysters.
  3. a young oyster.

spat

1

/ spæt /

noun

  1. a larval oyster or similar bivalve mollusc, esp when it settles to the sea bottom and starts to develop a shell
  2. such oysters or other molluscs collectively
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


spat

2

/ spæt /

noun

  1. another name for gaiter
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

spat

3

/ spæt /

verb

  1. a past tense and past participle of spit 1
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

spat

4

/ spæt /

noun

  1. rare.
    a slap or smack
  2. a slight quarrel
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. rare.
    to slap (someone)
  2. intr to have a slight quarrel
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of spat1

An Americanism dating back to 1795–1805; perhaps imitative

Origin of spat2

First recorded in 1795–1805; short for spatterdash

Origin of spat3

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; origin uncertain
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Word History and Origins

Origin of spat1

C17: from Anglo-Norman spat; perhaps related to spit 1

Origin of spat2

C19: short for spatterdash

Origin of spat3

C19: probably imitative of the sound of quarrelling
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Example Sentences

“We sat on the opposite side of the table with lawsuits with each other,” Gelsinger said, referencing the companies’ various legal spats, including a patent lawsuit that they eventually settled in 2011.

From Fortune

Those spats seem to be heating up as publisher pursuit of revenue during the coronavirus-induced recession becomes increasingly fraught.

From Digiday

The famous director was late, and the small talk stuttered and spat like an old truck on a bumpy road.

From Fortune

Every so often, the spat between the two digital operations reemerges.

From Digiday

We see a couple shouting or arguing or something, we don’t know is this really an emergency, or is this just two people having a spat.

Upstairs, in the living room, splintered logs of hemlock cackled and spat from inside the wood stove.

Earlier in the year, TMZ alleged, citing a police report, that a hotel room spat between the two left Nicki with a busted lip.

They kicked and fought and spat and succeeded in repeatedly filling their opponents with fear.

He licked them up with a slick bronzy tongue and spat a thick wad of honey-brown juice into the empty teacup.

Meathead spat another long stream of dip juice into the wedding china.

Long before we got there the deep-throated thunder was growling over us, and the clouds spat occasional flurries of rain.

Coming to the map of Europe, he smothered Russia with kisses and spat on all the rest of the world.

Then he spat upon the ground, and with an exaggerated shrug of his shoulders re-entered the house.

Big Sid turned around, spat out his cigaret, heeled it into the concrete.

The sputum, spat out or coughed out, is a means whereby the disease is spread.

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