spat
1 (spăt)
verb
- A past tense and a past participle of spit1
spat
2 (spăt)
[Middle English.]
noun: pl., spat or spats
- An oyster or similar bivalve mollusk in the larval stage, especially when it settles to the bottom and begins to develop a shell.
- The spawn of an oyster or a similar mollusk.
intransitive verb: spat·ted, spat·ting, spats.
- To spawn. Used of oysters and similar mollusks.
spat
3 (spăt)
[Short for spatterdash, spatter, + dash1.]
noun
- A cloth or leather gaiter covering the shoe upper and the ankle and fastening under the shoe with a strap. Often used in the plural.
spat
4 (spăt)
[Origin unknown.]
noun
- A brief quarrel.
- Informal A slap or smack.
- A spattering sound, as of raindrops.
verb: spat·ted, spat·ting, spats.
intransitive verb
- To engage in a brief quarrel.
- To strike with a light spattering sound; slap.
transitive verb
Informal
- To slap.
spit
1 (spĭt)
[Middle English, from spitten, to spit, from Old English spittan, ultimately of imitative origin.]
noun
- Saliva, especially when expectorated; spittle.
- The act of expectorating.
- Something, such as the frothy secretion of spittle bugs, that resembles spit.
- A brief, scattered rainfall or snowfall.
- Informal The perfect likeness: He's the spit and image of his father.
verb: spat (spăt) or spit, spit·ting, spits.
transitive verb
- To eject from the mouth: spat out the grape seeds.
- To eject as if from the mouth: a fire spitting sparks.
- To emit suddenly and forcefully: spat out an insult.
intransitive verb
- To eject matter from the mouth; expectorate.
- To express contempt or animosity by or as if by ejecting matter from the mouth.
- To make a hissing or sputtering noise.
- To rain or snow in light, scattered drops or flakes.
phrasal verbs
- spit up
- To vomit.