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Webster 1913 Edition

Spat

Spat

,
imp.
of
Spit
.
[Obs. or R.]

Spat

,
Noun.
[From the root of
spit
; hence, literally, that which is ejected.]
A young oyster or other bivalve mollusk, both before and after it first becomes adherent, or such young, collectively.

Spat

,
Verb.
I.
&
T.
To emit spawn; to emit, as spawn.

Spat

,
Noun.
[Cf.
Pat
.]
1.
A light blow with something flat.
[U.S. & Prov. Eng.]
2.
Hence, a petty combat, esp. a verbal one; a little quarrel, dispute, or dissension.
[U. S.]

Spat

,
Verb.
I.
To dispute.
[R.]
Smart.

Spat

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Spatted
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Spatting
.]
To slap, as with the open hand; to clap together; as the hands.
[Local, U.S.]
Little Isabel leaped up and down,
spatting
her hands.
Judd.

Webster 1828 Edition

Spat

SPAT

, pret. of spit, but nearly obsolete.

Definition 2024

Spat

Spat

See also: spat, spaț, spať, spát, spät, şpat, and ṣpät

German

Alternative forms

Noun

Spat m ‎(genitive Spats, plural Spate)

  1. (geology) spar
  2. (mathematics) parallelepiped

Declension

spat

spat

See also: Spat, spaț, spať, spát, spät, şpat, and ṣpät

English

Verb

spat

  1. simple past tense and past participle of spit
    There was no sink in the room so we spat out the window.
    If I had known you had a spittoon in the corner I would never have spat on the floor.

Etymology 2

Of uncertain origin; perhaps related to spit.

Noun

spat ‎(uncountable)

  1. The spawn of shellfish, especially oysters and similar molluscs.
    • 2005, TVR Pillay & MN Kutty, Aquaculture: Principles and practices, p. 525:
      As spat-fall often occurs in areas away from environments suitable for oyster growing, the collection, transport and sale of oyster spat has developed into a separate industry.
Translations

Verb

spat ‎(third-person singular simple present spats, present participle spatting, simple past and past participle spatted)

  1. (transitive, intransitive) To spawn. Used of shellfish as above.

Etymology 3

Shortening of spatterdash, from spatter + dash. 1779.

A felt spat
Australian 1970s Holden Kingswood with spats

Noun

spat ‎(plural spats)

  1. A covering or decorative covering worn over a shoe.
  2. (automotive) (UK, Australia) A piece of bodywork that covers the upper portions of the rear tyres of a car.
  3. A juvenile shellfish which has attached to a hard surface.
    • 2011, The Pearl Oyster, page 256:
      Conditions in pearl oyster hatcheries are optimized for growth and survival of spat.
    • 1988, Bivalve Mollusc Culture Research in Thailand, page 28:
      If the spat are allowed to remain attached to the tank bottom for more than two days, they are difficult to remove without damage to the shell.
Synonyms
Translations
See also

Etymology 4

1804. American English, unknown origin.

Noun

spat ‎(plural spats)

  1. a brief argument, falling out, quarrel
Translations

Verb

spat ‎(third-person singular simple present spats, present participle spatting, simple past and past participle spatted)

  1. to quarrel or argue briefly
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Smart to this entry?)
Translations

Etymology 5

Attested from 1823.

Noun

spat ‎(plural spats)

  1. A light blow with something flat.

Verb

spat ‎(third-person singular simple present spats, present participle spatting, simple past and past participle spatted)

  1. (transitive and intransitive) To strike with a spattering sound.
    • 1922, B. M. Bower, The Trail of the White Mule, ch. 3:
      He felt the wind of a second bullet that spatted against a boulder near Barney.
    • 2007, Nolan Clay, "Co-workers testify about Kelsey's mother," Daily Oklahoman, 13 July, (retrieved 25 Aug. 2009):
      "She mentioned she had spatted Kelsey on her diaper with a hairbrush," said Mildred Johnson, a co-worker.
  2. (US, dialect) To slap, as with the open hand; to clap together, as the hands.
    • Sylvester Judd
      Little Isabel leaped up and down, spatting her hands.
Translations

Etymology 6

Latin spatium ‎(“space”)

Noun

spat ‎(plural spats)

  1. An obsolete unit of distance in astronomy (symbol S), equal to one billion kilometres.

Anagrams

Amis

Etymology

From Proto-Austronesian *Səpat.

Numeral

spat

  1. (cardinal) four

Danish

Etymology

From Middle Low German spat. Compare German Spat and Swedish spatt.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /spat/, [sb̥ad̥]

Noun

spat c (singular definite spatten, not used in plural form)

  1. spavin (disease of horses characterized by a bony swelling developed on the hock as the result of inflammation of the bones)
  2. få spat – get annoyed or angry

Derived terms

  • spattet

Dutch

Pronunciation

Noun

spat m ‎(plural spatten, diminutive spatje n)

  1. spot, speckle, stain

Derived terms

Verb

spat

  1. first-, second- and third-person singular present indicative of spatten
  2. imperative of spatten

Anagrams

Lower Sorbian

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [spat]

Verb

spat

  1. supine of spaś

Serbo-Croatian

Verb

spat

  1. Short form of spavati: "Cili Trogir ide spat" = "Cijeli Trogir ide spati" = "The whole City of Trogir goes to sleep"

Taroko

Etymology

From Proto-Atayalic *səpat, from Proto-Austronesian *Səpat.

Numeral

spat

  1. (cardinal) four

Pronunciation

  • Rhymes: -aːt

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