sputter
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Related to sputter: sputter out
sputter
make popping or sizzling sounds; to eject particles of saliva or food from the mouth explosively and involuntarily; some of the same definitions as for splutter, such as to utter incoherently
Not to be confused with:
splutter – speak in a vehement or choking manner; utter rapidly or incoherently, spatter, as a liquid; noise or fuss; a blend of the words splash and sputter
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
sput·ter
(spŭt′ər)v. sput·tered, sput·ter·ing, sput·ters
v.intr.
1. To spit out or spray particles of saliva or food from the mouth in noisy bursts.
2. To spit out words or sounds in an excited or confused manner.
3. To make sporadic spitting or popping sounds: The fire sputtered and died.
4. Physics To cause the atoms of a solid to be removed from the surface by bombardment with atoms in a discharge tube.
v.tr.
1. To eject in short bursts with spitting or popping sounds.
2. To utter in an excited or confused manner.
3. Physics To coat (a solid surface) with metal atoms by sputtering.
n.
1. The act or sound of sputtering.
2. Matter emitted in sputtering.
3. Excited or confused utterance.
[Probably of Low German origin; akin to Dutch sputteren.]
sput′ter·er n.
sput′ter·y adj.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
sputter
(ˈspʌtə)vb
2. (General Physics) physics
a. to undergo or cause to undergo a process in which atoms of a solid are removed from its surface by the impact of high-energy ions, as in a discharge tube
b. to coat (a film of a metal) onto (a solid surface) by using this process
n
3. the process or noise of sputtering
4. incoherent stammering speech
5. something that is ejected while sputtering
[C16: from Dutch sputteren, of imitative origin]
ˈsputterer n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
sput•ter
(ˈspʌt ər)v.i.
1. to make explosive popping or sizzling sounds.
2. to emit particles, sparks, etc., explosively.
3. to eject particles of saliva, food, etc., from the mouth, as when speaking angrily or excitedly.
4. to utter words explosively or incoherently, as when angry or flustered.
v.t. 5. to eject forcibly and in small particles, as if by spitting.
6. to utter explosively and incoherently.
n. 7. the act or sound of sputtering.
8. explosive, incoherent utterance.
sput′ter•er, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
sputter
Past participle: sputtered
Gerund: sputtering
| Imperative |
|---|
| sputter |
| sputter |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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| Noun | 1. |  sputter - the noise of something spattering or sputtering explosively; "he heard a spatter of gunfire"noise - sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound); "he enjoyed the street noises"; "they heard indistinct noises of people talking"; "during the firework display that ended the gala the noise reached 98 decibels" |
| 2. | sputter - an utterance (of words) with spitting sounds (as in rage) utterance, vocalization - the use of uttered sounds for auditory communication | |
| Verb | 1. | sputter - make an explosive sound; "sputtering engines" pop - make a sharp explosive noise; "The cork of the champagne bottle popped" |
| 2. | sputter - cause to undergo a process in which atoms are removed; "The solar wind protons must sputter away the surface atoms of the dust" | |
| 3. | sputter - climb awkwardly, as if by scrambling climb - move with difficulty, by grasping | |
| 4. | sputter - utter with a spitting sound, as if in a rage | |
| 5. | sputter - spit up in an explosive manner cough out, cough up, expectorate, spit up, spit out - discharge (phlegm or sputum) from the lungs and out of the mouth |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
sputter
verbThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
sputter
vi → zischen; (in frying pan) → brutzeln; (fat) → spritzen; (engine) → stottern; (in speech) → sich ereifern (→ about über +acc); he was sputtering with rage → er geiferte (vor Zorn); the candle sputtered out → die Kerze ging flackernd aus; to sputter to a halt (lit, fig) → stotternd zum Stillstand kommen
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007