spat
spat¹
Definition
spat (spat)
noun
- Rare a slap
- a quick, slapping sound
- Informal a brief, petty quarrel or dispute
Etymology: prob. echoic
intransitive verb spat′·ted, spat′·ting
- Rare to slap
- to strike with a quick, slapping sound
- ☆ Informal to engage in a spat, or quarrel
transitive verb
Rare to slap
spat²
Definition
spat (spat)
noun
a gaiterlike covering for the instep and ankle, usually of heavy cloth
Etymology: contr. < spatterdash
spat³
Definition
spat (spat)
transitive verb, intransitive verb
spat4
Definition
spat (spat)
noun
a young oyster or young oysters collectively
Etymology: Anglo-Fr < ?
spat*
Synonyms
spat
Synonyms
spat
Usage Examples
Converse of object
- wear: Thin Teachers Fat Teachers Mad about their cat Teachers And wearing white spats Teachers.
- have: He also had a famous spat with Ken Russell, who hit him in full view of the television cameras.
- get: And, yes, female SEK comrades got spat on and hit.
- publicize: Hammam had relinquished control after his much publicized spat with the Norwegians and had sold the remainder of his shares.
- end: Thus ended the spat between Jonas Hanway and Dr. Samuel Johnson, but the arguments about tea raged for years.
- feel: Christine feels this spat, highly embarrassing for Tom, is putting her operation in danger.
Modifies a noun
- settlement: No spat settlement was yet apparent on Salmon Scar, St Ishmaels following previous systematic thinning in February and March.
Adjective modifier
- recent: During the recent spat over school funding, new localists have derided the center.
- white: Thin Teachers Fat Teachers Mad about their cat Teachers And wearing white spats Teachers.
- little: I am sure that once they have sorted out their little spat over the " baby issue " they will continue their debates.
- public: Who wants to get into a public spat with Oxfam?
- current: The reason has to do with the Irish carrier's current spat with Cardiff Wales airport.
- late: What are we to make of this latest spat between Murdoch and another leading figure within the English-speaking Establishment?
Preposition: over
- cash: The current spat over cash for peerages sadly confirms everyone's most cynical feelings about politics and politicians.
Noun used with modifier
- wheel: A mid-term revision brought further styling tweaks, including the loss of the running boards and the addition of rear wheel spats.
Browse dictionary entries near spat
- spastic paralysis
- spastic
- spasmodic
- spasm
- sparteine
- Spartan
- Spartacus
- Sparta
- sparse network
- sparse
- spatchcock
- spate
- spathaceous
- spathe
- spathic
- spathose
- spathulate
- spatial
- spatial diversity
- spatiotemporal
