spat

¹

[ spat ]

noun

1. a petty quarrel.

   Synonyms: set-to, scrap, tiff

2. a light blow; slap; smack.

verb (used without object)

, spat·ted, spat·ting.

1. to engage in a petty quarrel or dispute.
2. to splash or spatter; rain spatting against the window.

verb (used with object)

, spat·ted, spat·ting.

1. to strike lightly; slap.

spat

²

[ spat ]

verb

1. a simple past tense and past participle of spit ¹.

spat

³

[ spat ]

noun

1. a short gaiter worn over the instep and usually fastened under the foot with a strap, worn especially in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

spat

⁴

[ spat ]

noun

, Zoology.

1. the spawn of an oyster or similar shellfish.
2. young oysters collectively, especially seed oysters.
3. a young oyster.

spat

¹

/ spæt /

noun

1. a larval oyster or similar bivalve mollusc, esp when it settles to the sea bottom and starts to develop a shell
2. such oysters or other molluscs collectively

spat

²

/ spæt /

noun

1. another name for gaiter

spat

³

/ spæt /

verb

1. a past tense and past participle of spit 1

spat

⁴

/ spæt /

noun

1. rare.
   a slap or smack
2. a slight quarrel

verb

1. rare.
   to slap (someone)
2. intr to have a slight quarrel

Word History and Origins

Origin of spat¹

An Americanism dating back to 1795–1805; perhaps imitative

Origin of spat²

First recorded in 1795–1805; short for spatterdash

Origin of spat³

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; origin uncertain

Word History and Origins

Origin of spat¹

C17: from Anglo-Norman spat; perhaps related to spit ¹

Origin of spat²

C19: short for spatterdash

Origin of spat³

C19: probably imitative of the sound of quarrelling

Example Sentences

Over a career of 21 years, Cumbria Constabulary's PC Ruth Coates has been "punched, kicked, spat at numerous times, headbutted and dragged along by a moving vehicle".

From BBC

And like any good rivalry, it has seen its fair share of needle, with Sexton and Rieko Ioane's Paris spat ratcheting up the tension for this week.

From BBC

The police officer told the court the defendant was irate while travelling in police vehicles and that he spat and urinated in the cell in the police van.

From BBC

He spat into the sample tube, sent the kit off, and didn’t think about it for weeks.

From BBC

Yet staffing shortages, wildfires and a spat with China will not make the task easy.

From BBC

Related Words

• altercation
• bickering
• brouhaha
• difference of opinion
• disagreement
• discord
• falling-out
• feud
• flare-up
• fracas
• friction
• misunderstanding
• run-in
• squabble
• strife
• tiff