spat

¹ American  

[spat] / spæt /

noun

1. a petty quarrel.

   Synonyms:

   set-to, scrap, tiff

2. a light blow; slap; smack.

---

verb (used without object)

spatted, spatting

1. to engage in a petty quarrel or dispute.

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

verb (used with object)

spatted, spatting

1. to strike lightly; slap.

spat ² American  

[spat] / spæt /

verb

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

---

spat ³ American  

[spat] / spæt /

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 American  

[spat] / spæt /

noun

Zoology.

1. the spawn of an oyster or similar shellfish.

2. young oysters collectively, especially seed oysters.

3. a young oyster.

---

spat ¹ British  

/ spæt /

noun

1. rare a slap or smack

2. a slight quarrel

---

verb

1. rare to slap (someone)

2. (intr) to have a slight quarrel

spat ² British  

/ 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

---

spat ³ British  

/ spæt /

verb

1. a past tense and past participle of spit 1

---

spat ⁴ British  

/ spæt /

noun

1. another name for gaiter

---

Etymology

Origin of spat¹

An Americanism dating back to 1795–1805; perhaps imitative

Origin of spat³

First recorded in 1795–1805; short for spatterdash

Origin of spat⁴

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; origin uncertain

Example Sentences

The spat is emerging as a source of frustration in Congo, which already holds a historic grudge with its old colonial ruler.

From The Wall Street Journal

Such messaging led to a spat with Musk last month, after the world’s richest man balked at Spain’s vow to ban children under 16 from social-media sites such as X.

From The Wall Street Journal

A spat with the U.S. could threaten these gains.

From The Wall Street Journal

Chinese visitors to Japan tumbled 45.2 percent in February from a year earlier, official data showed Wednesday, as the fallout from the countries' diplomatic spat bit for the third month running.

From Barron's

The lamp in her hand hissed and spat.

From Literature

Related Words

• altercation
• bickering
• brouhaha
• difference of opinion
• disagreement
• discord
• falling-out
• feud
• flare-up
• fracas
• friction
• misunderstanding
• run-in
• squabble
• strife
• tiff