Definition: spatter
Source: WordNet (r) 1.7
spatter
n 1: the noise of something spattering or sputtering explosively;
"he heard a spatter of gunfire" [syn: spattering, splatter,
splattering, sputter, splutter, sputtering]
2: the act of splashing a (liquid) substance on a surface [syn:
spattering, splash, splashing, splattering]
v 1: dash a liquid upon or against; "The mother splashed the
baby's face with water" [syn: splatter, plash, splash,
splosh, swash]
2: rain gently; "It has only sprinkled, but the roads are
slick." [syn: sprinkle, spit, patter, pitter-patter]
3: spot, splash, or soil; "The baby spattered the bib with
food" [syn: bespatter]
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Spatter \Spat"ter\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spattered; p. pr. & vb. n. Spattering.] [From the root of spit salvia.] 1. To sprinkle with a liquid or with any wet substance, as water, mud, or the like; to make wet of foul spots upon by sprinkling; as, to spatter a coat; to spatter the floor; to spatter boots with mud. Upon any occasion he is to be spattered over with the blood of his people. --Burke. 2. To distribute by sprinkling; to sprinkle around; as, to spatter blood. --Pope. 3. Fig.: To injure by aspersion; to defame; to soil; also, to throw out in a defamatory manner.
Spatter \Spat"ter\, v. i.
To throw something out of the mouth in a scattering manner;
to sputter.
That mind must needs be irrecoverably depraved, which,
. . . tasting but once of one just deed, spatters at
it, and abhors the relish ever after. --Milton.
