tatter

¹ American  

[tat-er] / ˈtæt ər /

noun

1. a torn piece hanging loose from the main part, as of a garment or flag.

2. a separate torn piece; shred.

3. tatters, torn or ragged clothing.

   dressed in rags and tatters.

---

verb (used with object)

1. to tear or wear to tatters.

verb (used without object)

1. to become ragged.

tatter ² American  

[tat-er] / ˈtæt ər /

noun

1. a person who does tatting, tatting, especially as an occupation.

---

tatter British  

/ ˈtætə /

verb

1. to make or become ragged or worn to shreds

---

noun

1. (plural) torn or ragged pieces, esp of material

2. 1. torn to pieces; in shreds

   2. destroyed or ruined

Etymology

Origin of tatter¹

1375–1425; (noun) late Middle English < Old Norse tǫturr rag, tatter; akin to Old English tætteca rag, shred; (v.) back formation from tattered

Origin of tatter²

First recorded in 1880–85; tat + -er ¹

Example Sentences

Iran’s navy appears to be in tatters, their nuclear program suffered more damage, along with their supply of long-range missiles.

From Salon

She said the situation had “humiliated” her and left her career in tatters, but maintained that the way her case was handled was unfair.

From Los Angeles Times

Wolf had never hunted reindeer, but he knew the scent well, for his mother used to bring him the branches that grow from reindeers’ heads, with the hide hanging off in delicious, chewable tatters.

From Literature

“You’re fine. You’re great. And don’t let anyone tell you any differently. But you’d told me about the break with that other boy, and I could see your heart was still in tatters.”

From Literature

Tehran’s arsenal of missiles and rockets able to hit distant targets is in tatters.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• fragment
• iota
• modicum
• ounce
• sliver
• smidgen
• snippet
• speck
• whit