Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.
From Old English spittan, spætan.
If I had known you had a spittoon in the corner I would never have spat on the floor.
There was no sink in the room so we spat out the window.
Uncertain; perhaps related to spit.
But Orata’s oysters were, like the dormice and fish, collected in the wild, as spat.2018, Tim Flannery, Europe: A Natural History, page 243:
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.2005, TVR Pillay, MN Kutty, Aquaculture: Principles and practices, page 525:
Conditions in pearl oyster hatcheries are optimized for growth and survival of spat.2011, The Pearl Oyster, page 256:
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.1988, Bivalve Mollusc Culture Research in Thailand, page 28:
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| spats | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
fi toukka (young of shellfish) · bg хайвер от стриди (spawn of shellfish)
Uncertain; perhaps related to spit.
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| spats | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| spatting | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| spatted | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| spatted | Tense=Past | lexicographic |
Shortening of spatterdash, from spatter + dash. 1779.
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| spats | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
gl polaina (covering worn over a shoe) · pl getry (covering worn over a shoe) · ru гама́ша (covering worn over a shoe) · ca polaina (covering worn over a shoe) · it uose (covering worn over a shoe) · bg гети (covering worn over a shoe) · de Kotflügel (automotive: piece of bodywork) · gl calza (covering worn over a shoe) · nl slobkous (covering worn over a shoe) · es guardabarros carenado (automotive: piece of bodywork) · gl osa (covering worn over a shoe) · de Gamasche (covering worn over a shoe) · ja スパッツ (covering worn over a shoe) · ru ге́тра (covering worn over a shoe) · de Überschuh (covering worn over a shoe) · mk гамаш (covering worn over a shoe) · ru штибле́та (covering worn over a shoe) · sv damask (covering worn over a shoe) · pt polaina (covering worn over a shoe) · da gamache (covering worn over a shoe) · cs psí dečka (covering worn over a shoe) · fr guêtre (covering worn over a shoe) · no gamasje (covering worn over a shoe) · fi nilkkain (covering worn over a shoe) · es polaina (covering worn over a shoe) · hu kamásni (covering worn over a shoe)
1804. American English, probably imitative.
get into a trivial spat over punctuality
have a vicious spat with the cousins
The downside of this cost-saving strategy was that the train service could only be covered by goodwill. Whenever there was a spat between ASLEF and management - regardless of cause - the withdrawal of this goodwill became a stick with which unions could beat management.2022 November 16, Graham Eccles, “The Rest Day Working saga...”, in RAIL, number 970, page 32:
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| spats | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
ru ссо́ра (quarrel) · it disputa (quarrel) · fi kahina (quarrel) · bg леко скарване (quarrel) · pl sprzeczka (quarrel) · nl ruzie (quarrel) · de Zank (quarrel) · es altercado (quarrel) · de Auseinandersetzung (quarrel) · de Streit (quarrel) · fi kärhämä (quarrel) · ru перебра́нка (quarrel) · ru спор (quarrel) · ru размо́лвка (quarrel) · it dissidio (quarrel) · sv gräl (quarrel) · es rifirrafe (quarrel) · de Wortwechsel (quarrel) · pt briga (quarrel) · fi kina (quarrel)
1804. American English, probably imitative.
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| spatting | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| spatted | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| spatted | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| spats | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic |
tiff · bicker · tift · row · pettifog · barney · argue · squabble · tiff · quibble · quarrel · wrangle
bg препирам се (to quarrel) · de sich fetzen (to quarrel) · sv gräla (to quarrel) · fi kahinoida (to quarrel) · fi kinata (to quarrel) · bg карам се (to quarrel) · de zanken (to quarrel) · ru ссо́риться (to quarrel) · ru руга́ться (to quarrel) · ru брани́ться (to quarrel) · es altercar (to quarrel) · nl ruzien (to quarrel) · de streiten (to quarrel) · pl sprzeczać się (to quarrel) · es malentender (to quarrel)
Attested from 1823.
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| spats | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
bg шляпване (light blow with something flat) · fi läpsäisy (light blow with something flat) · fi läpäytys (light blow with something flat)
Attested from 1823.
He felt the wind of a second bullet that spatted against a boulder near Barney.1922, B. M. Bower, chapter 3, in The Trail of the White Mule:
"She mentioned she had spatted Kelsey on her diaper with a hairbrush," said Mildred Johnson, a co-worker.2007 July 13, Nolan Clay, “Co-workers testify about Kelsey's mother”, in Daily Oklahoman, retrieved 25 Aug 2009:
Little Isabel leaped up and down, spatting her hands.1845, Sylvester Judd, Margaret:
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| spatting | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| spatted | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| spatted | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| spats | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic |
fi läpsäistä (to strike with spattering sound) · ru шлёпать (to strike with spattering sound) · fi läpäyttää (to strike with spattering sound) · ru шлёпнуть (to strike with spattering sound) · bg шляпвам (to strike with spattering sound) · de prasseln (to strike with spattering sound)
From Latin spatium (“space”).
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| spats | Number=Plur | lexicographic |