v. & n.
v. 1 intr. & tr. spatter or cause (liquid) to spatter in small drops. 2 tr. cause (a person) to be spattered with liquid etc. (splashed them with mud). 3 intr. a (of a person) cause liquid to spatter (was splashing about in the bath). b (usu. foll. by across, along, etc.) move while spattering liquid etc. (splashed across the carpet in his boots). c step, fall, or plunge etc. into a liquid etc. so as to cause a splash (splashed into the sea). 4 tr. display (news) prominently. 5 tr. decorate with scattered colour. 6 tr. spend (money) ostentatiously.
n. 1 the act or an instance of splashing. 2 a a quantity of liquid splashed. b the resulting noise (heard a splash). 3 a spot of dirt etc. splashed on to a thing. 4 a prominent news feature etc. 5 a daub or patch of colour, esp. on an animal's coat. 6 Brit. colloq. a small quantity of liquid, esp. of soda water etc. to dilute spirits. make a splash attract much attention, esp. by extravagance. splash out colloq. spend money freely. splashy adj. (splashier, splashiest).
[ alt. of PLASH(1) ]