put-put

or putt-putt

[ puht-puht, -puht ]

noun

1. the sound made by a small internal-combustion engine or imitative of its operation.
2. Informal. a small internal-combustion engine, or something, as a boat or model airplane, equipped with one:

   the sound of distant put-puts on the lake.

verb (used without object)

, put-put·ted, put-put·ting.

1. Informal. to operate with sounds suggesting a put-put, as a small motor or motor-driven device.

put-put

/ ˈpʌtˌpʌt /

noun

1. a light chugging or popping sound, as made by a petrol engine
2. a vehicle powered by an engine making such a sound

verb

1. intr to make or travel along with such a sound

Word History and Origins

Origin of put-put¹

First recorded in 1900–05; imitative

Example Sentences

There’s a put-put sound when he puffs on the cigarette and a whimper from my mother.

From Literature

The boat containing the two rough men was no longer in sight, but finally there drifted down on the night wind the soft put-put of the motor.

From Project Gutenberg

Pretty soon I heard the put-put of that scooter and along came the ice-cream man.

From Project Gutenberg

In a quiet place like that its put-put could be heard for miles.

From Project Gutenberg

"Why does n't Papa come in and say he is going to give me put-put?"

From Project Gutenberg