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spat

1
[ spat ]
/ spæt /
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See synonyms for: spat / spats / spatted / spatting on Thesaurus.com
noun
a petty quarrel.
a light blow; slap; smack.
verb (used without object), spat·ted, spat·ting.
to engage in a petty quarrel or dispute.
to splash or spatter; rain spatting against the window.
verb (used with object), spat·ted, spat·ting.
to strike lightly; slap.
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Origin of spat

1
An Americanism dating back to 1795–1805; perhaps imitative

Other definitions for spat (2 of 4)

spat2
[ spat ]
/ spæt /
verb
a simple past tense and past participle of spit1.

Other definitions for spat (3 of 4)

spat3
[ spat ]
/ spæt /
noun
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.

Origin of spat

3
First recorded in 1795–1805; short for spatterdash

Other definitions for spat (4 of 4)

spat4
[ spat ]
/ spæt /
noun Zoology.
the spawn of an oyster or similar shellfish.
young oysters collectively, especially seed oysters.
a young oyster.

Origin of spat

4
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; origin uncertain
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to spat

altercation, bickering, brouhaha, disagreement, discord, falling-out, feud, flare-up, fracas, friction, misunderstanding, run-in, squabble, strife, tiff, argument, beef, conflict, dissension, embroilment

How to use spat in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for spat (1 of 4)

spat1
/ (spæt) /
noun
rare a slap or smack
a slight quarrel
verb spats, spatting or spatted
rare to slap (someone)
(intr) US, Canadian and NZ to have a slight quarrel

Word Origin for spat

C19: probably imitative of the sound of quarrelling

British Dictionary definitions for spat (2 of 4)

spat2
/ (spæt) /
verb
a past tense and past participle of spit 1

British Dictionary definitions for spat (3 of 4)

spat3
/ (spæt) /
noun
another name for gaiter (def. 2)

Word Origin for spat

C19: short for spatterdash

British Dictionary definitions for spat (4 of 4)

spat4
/ (spæt) /
noun
a larval oyster or similar bivalve mollusc, esp when it settles to the sea bottom and starts to develop a shell
such oysters or other molluscs collectively

Word Origin for spat

C17: from Anglo-Norman spat; perhaps related to 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
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