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Spat vs Splat - What's the difference?

spat | splat |

As nouns the difference between spat and splat

is that spat is spar while splat is the sharp, atonal sound of a liquid or soft solid hitting a solid surface.

As a verb splat is

to hit a flat surface and deform into an irregular shape.

spat

English

Etymology 1

(etyl) spittan,

Verb

(head)
  • (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

    (-)
  • 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.

    Verb

    (spatt)
  • (ambitransitive) To spawn. Used of shellfish as above.

    • Etymology 3

    Shortening of spatterdash, from spatter + dash. 1779.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A covering or decorative covering worn over a shoe.
  • (automotive) (UK, Australia) A piece of bodywork that covers the upper portions of the rear tyres of a car.
    • Synonyms
    * (automotive) fender skirt (US)
    See also
    * gaiter

    Etymology 4

    1804. American English, unknown origin.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • a brief argument, falling out, quarrel

    • Verb

    (spatt)
  • to quarrel or argue briefly
    • (Smart)

    Etymology 5

    Attested from 1823.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A light blow with something flat.

    • Verb

    (spatt)
  • (transitive, and, intransitive) To strike with a spattering sound.
  • * 1922 , , 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.
  • (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.

    Etymology 6

    (etyl)

    Noun

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

    • Anagrams

    * * * * * English irregular past participles English irregular simple past forms English terms with multiple etymologies English terms with unknown etymologies ----

    splat

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The sharp, atonal sound of a liquid or soft solid hitting a solid surface.
    • I didn't see the egg fall, but I heard the splat when it hit the floor.
  • The irregular shape of a viscous liquid or soft solid which has hit a solid surface.
    • The canvas was covered by seemingly careless splats of paint.
  • (computing, slang) The key on an (Apple Macintosh).
  • (computing, slang) Any of various characters appearing in computer character sets, particularly # and *.
  • The narrow wooden centre piece of a chair back.
  • A move in playboating involving stalling in place while positioned vertically against a solid object in the water.

    • Verb

    (splatt)
  • To hit a flat surface and deform into an irregular shape.
    • The egg splatted onto the floor.
  • To combine different textures by applying an alpha channel map to the higher levels, revealing the layers underneath where the map is partially or completely transparent.

    • Related terms

    * splat mat * splatter

    See also

    * plop * splash * sploosh * sploop

    Anagrams

    * * English onomatopoeias