I.
Etymology: Middle English spatte (past of speten to spit), from Old English spǣte, past of spǣtan to spit; akin to Old English (northern dialect) spittan to spit
past of spit
II. ˈspat, usu -ad.+V noun
( plural spat or spats )
Etymology: origin unknown
1. : a young oyster or other bivalve mollusk either before or after it first becomes adherent
2. : young oysters
spat is abundant this year
III. intransitive verb
( spatted ; spatted ; spatting ; spats )
1. : to emit spawn
oysters spat
2. : to become permanently attached to some solid object — used of a mollusk and especially of an oyster
IV. noun
( -s )
Etymology: short for spatterdash
1. : a covering for the instep and ankle usually made of cloth or leather with a side closing and a strap under the instep and worn for protection or appearance — usually used in plural
dressed in spats, cutaway, and silk hat
2. : a fairing around the wheel of a fixed airplane landing gear
V. noun
( -s )
Etymology: probably of imitative origin
1. : a usually petty quarrel that flares up quickly and is of short duration
2. chiefly dialect : a quick sharp blow : slap
3.
a. : something that spatters : a light splash
a spat of rain
spats of mud
b. : a sound like that of rain falling in large drops
the spat of bullets against a stone wall
Synonyms: see quarrel
VI. verb
( spatted ; spatted ; spatting ; spats )
Etymology: probably of imitative origin
transitive verb
1. chiefly dialect
a. : slap
b. : to clap together (as the hands)
2. : to strike with a sound like that of rain falling in large drops
bullets … spatting the leaves — J.H.Stuart
intransitive verb
1. : to quarrel usually pettily or briefly and repeatedly
a teenager spatting with her mother
2. : to strike or fall and strike with a sound like that of rain falling in large drops
bullets were spatting down — R.H.Newman