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Patter vs Prate - What's the difference?

patter | prate |

As nouns the difference between patter and prate

is that patter is godfather while prate is talk to little purpose; trifling talk; unmeaning loquacity.

As a verb prate is

to talk much and to little purpose; to chatter; to be loquacious; to speak foolishly; to babble.

patter

English

Etymology 1

1610s, of (onomatopoeia) origin.

Noun

(en noun)
  • The soft sound of feet walking on a hard surface.
    • I could hear the patter of mice running about in the dark.
  • *{{quote-book, year=1907, author=
    • , title=The Dust of Conflict , chapter=7 citation , passage=The patter of feet, and clatter of strap and swivel, seemed to swell into a bewildering din, but they were almost upon the fielato offices, where the carretera entered the town, before a rifle flashed.}}
    Derived terms
    * pitter-patter

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To make irregularly repeated sounds of low-to-moderate magnitude and lower-than-average pitch.
    • The bullets pattered into the log-cabin walls.
  • * Thomson
    • The stealing shower is scarce to patter heard.
  • To spatter; to sprinkle.
  • * J. R. Drake
    • Patter the water about the boat.

    Etymology 2

    Circa 1400, from . Noun attested 1758, originally referring to the cant of thieves and beggers.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Glib and rapid speech, such as from an auctioneer, or banter during a sports event.

    • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To speak in such a way – glibly and rapidly, such as from an auctioneer, or when bantering during a sports event.
  • * Mayhew
    • I've gone out and pattered to get money.
    Derived terms
    * Glasgow patter

    Etymology 3

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • One who pats.

    • References

    English onomatopoeias

    prate

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Talk to little purpose; trifling talk; unmeaning loquacity.

    • Derived terms

    * prater * pratingly * prattle * prattler

    Verb

    (prat)
  • To talk much and to little purpose; to chatter; to be loquacious; to speak foolishly; to babble.
  • * Dryden
    • What nonsense would the fool, thy master, prate , / When thou, his knave, canst talk at such a rate!

    Synonyms

    * blabber, chatter, clack, gabble, gibber, maunder, palaver, piffle, prattle, twaddle

    References

    * (etymology) prate'', in ''Compact Oxford English Dictionary . * (etymolohy) prate'', in ''The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language .

    Anagrams

    * ----