I. ˈpad.ə(r), -atə- verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English patren, patern, from paternoster
transitive verb
1. : to say or repeat in a rapid or mechanical manner : mutter
patter the jargon of two different tribes — F.L.Lucas
2. : to speak glibly
they're college-reared and can patter languages — John Buchan
intransitive verb
1. : to recite paternosters or other prayers rapidly, mechanically, or perfunctorily
I'd be pattering away with my tongue, in church, like all the rest — Lord Dunsany
2. : to talk glibly and volubly usually without close attention to sense : chatter gibberish, jargon, or cant
pattered, all smiles, through a soft-voiced colorless recital of events — Lester Atwell
3. : to speak or sing the rapid-fire words of a theatrical patter speech or song
4. : to issue (as words) in staccato fashion
a poem lightly pattering into his ear — Amy Lowell
jokes … pattered regularly from variety comedians — Anthony Glyn
II. noun
( -s )
1. : a specialized lingo : cant
the sociologist's sometimes useful patter — Dwight Macdonald
the patter of science — Ellen Glasgow
ad-libbing a sales patter — Fortune
the silly pseudosophisticated patter of the most unpleasant smart people — J.C.Powys
sometimes : the jargon of thieves or other criminals
2. : the spiel of a street hawker or of a circus barker
3. : empty chattering talk : gabble
the incessant patter of the argument — F.R.Leavis
nothing's too petty for her to make controversial patter of — Rex Ingamells
table talk couched in cliché and patter — H.R.Warfel
4.
a. : the rapid-fire talk of a comedian or the talk with which any of various performers accompanies his routine
b. : the words of a comic or musical comedy song or of a rapidly spoken usually humorous monologue introduced into such a song
c. : metrical lines often of nonsense interpolated by a western square dance caller to fill in between commands to the dancers
III. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: freq. of pat (II)
intransitive verb
1. : to strike, pat, or tap rapidly usually so as to make quick light sounds
on the shingled roof the rain was pattering like a multitude of tiny feet — Ellen Glasgow
2. : to run with short quick light-sounding steps
pattered softly down the stairs — Marcia Davenport
transitive verb
: to cause to patter
IV. noun
( -s )
: a quick succession of slight sounds or pats
the patter of rain
the patter of little feet