Pronunciations (3)
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/ˈsplʌtə/
Pronunciation notes
- Received-Pronunciation
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/ˈsplʌtɚ/
Pronunciation notes
- General-American
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ˈsplʌtɚ
Pronunciation notes
- US
Noun
A forceful emission of something, especially in small drops or particles; a spluttering or sputtering.
Usage- Countable
- Examples
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a splutter of water from a pipe
More examples (3)
[He] broke down a slap, as he called it, in a dry stone fence, and lugged the unresisting animal [a horse] through the breach, about a rood of the simple masonry giving way in the splutter with which he passed.
As certain liquors, confined in casks too cramped in their dimensions, will ferment, and fret, and chafe in their imprisonment, so the spiritual essence or soul of Mr. Tappertit would sometimes fume within that precious cask, his body, until, with great foam and froth and splutter, it would force a vent, and carry all before it.
There was a flicker of matches as they were applied to the fuses, and then a splutter of sparks. An instant later it seemed as if the whole heavens had been lighted up.
A forceful choking or spitting sound.
Usage- Countable
A noisy commotion.
Usage- Countable
- Figurative
- Examples
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More examples (2)
But party carries every thing nowadays, and what a splutter have I heard about the wit of that saying, repeated with admiration about a hundred times in half an hour.
[M]y ways of out-of-the-wayness were by no means quiet, but perpetually firing up under their feet in little splutters and spitfires of the most appalling heresy; […]
A disagreement or dispute.
Usage- Countable
- Figurative
- Synonyms
Chaotic and forceful speaking, verbal exchange, etc.; (countable) an instance of this.
Usage- Figurative
- Uncountable
- Synonyms
- Examples
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a splutter of rage from the old man
Verb
To forcefully emit (something), especially in small drops or particles; to sputter.
Usage- Transitive
To soil or sprinkle (someone or something) with a substance, often a liquid; to bespatter, to spatter.
Usage- Transitive
To direct angry words, criticism, insults, etc., at (someone or something).
Usage- Figurative
- Transitive
- Examples
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There has been much spluttering about the prince’s use of ‘Americanisms’ in a letter to Emmanuel Macron, but the truth is more complicated[.]
Sometimes followed by out: to speak (words) hurriedly, and confusedly or unclearly.
Usage- Figurative
- Transitive
- Synonyms
- Examples
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More examples (1)
Alas, for the expectations of man! His hopes are like the fruits of that melancholy shore, where death appears to live and life to die. He biteth, and spluttereth forth the unsavoury and abominable deception.
Of a thing: to forcefully emit something, especially in small drops or particles.
Usage- Intransitive
- Synonyms
- Examples
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More examples (1)
[H]e at once stepped into the stationer's shop, and requested to be served with a sheet of the best gilt-edged letter-paper, and a hard-nibbed pen which could be warranted not to splutter.
You see if my pen doesn't splutter, Polly, the moment I address Richard Paulette.
More examples (2)
The log on the fire spluttered and sent a cloud of sparks up the chimney, and shadows of the bell-ringers started up on the walls and disappeared in the intricacies of the roof.
I grieve for lack of wit and store of words to tell the doings patly, for my pen halteth and spluttereth sadly; but I doubt if even a pen from a quill of the Raven could limn them suitably.
The old-fashioned pen spluttered and scratched as he wrote.
Of a thing: to forcefully emit something, especially in small drops or particles. To spray droplets of saliva from the mouth while eating or speaking.
Usage- Intransitive
Of a substance: to be emitted forcefully in small drops or particles.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
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More examples (1)
Suddenly a beautiful delf blue-and-white flower-pot, which had been set on the window-sill of an upper storey, fell to the ground with a crash, and the fragments spluttered up around my father's legs.
To make a sound or sounds of something forcefully emitting a substance in small drops or particles.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
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So you may see Jobson on such occasions, […] puffing, strutting, and spluttering, to get the justice put in motion, […]
Followed by out: to go out (as a flame) or stop functioning (as an engine or machine) with a spluttering action or sound (senses 2.1 or 2.3).
Usage- Intransitive
To speak hurriedly, and confusedly or unclearly.
Usage- Figurative
- Intransitive
- Synonyms
- Examples
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If thou splutterest so, thou wilt drop out thy teeth; that is, if they be thine, which I for one doubt!
He was in such a rage that his tongue clave to the roof of his mouth. He could not even swear. He could only splutter.
To perform in an inconsistent manner to a substandard level.
Usage- Figurative
- Intransitive
- Examples
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More examples (1)
Manchester City, Liverpool, Bolton and Manchester United come next for Wolves in the Premier League but [Mick] McCarthy's men will fear no one after beating Chelsea for the first time in 18 years, while [Carlo] Ancelotti has much to ponder as his players continue to splutter.
Interjection
A minced oath expressing anger or wonder, usually attributed to Welsh people: 'sblood.
Usage- Obsolete
- Examples
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I vvill ſhevv him that I vvas not bred at Oxford for nothing.—Splutter! I vvill ſhevv him my head is good for ſomething elſe beſides preaching.
Here he vvas interrupted vvith, "Splutter and oons! you louſy tog, vvho do you call my maſter?[…]."
Noun
the noise of something spattering or sputtering explosively
- Broader terms
- Examples
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he heard a spatter of gunfire
an utterance (of words) with spitting sounds (as in rage)
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
Verb
utter with a spitting sound, as if in a rage
- Synonyms
spit up in an explosive manner
- Broader terms