SPUTTER

sputter, splutter

(noun) an utterance (of words) with spitting sounds (as in rage)

spatter, spattering, splatter, splattering, sputter, splutter, sputtering

(noun) the noise of something spattering or sputtering explosively; “he heard a spatter of gunfire”

splutter, sputter, spit out

(verb) spit up in an explosive manner

sputter

(verb) cause to undergo a process in which atoms are removed; “The solar wind protons must sputter away the surface atoms of the dust”

sputter, splutter

(verb) utter with a spitting sound, as if in a rage

clamber, scramble, shin, shinny, skin, struggle, sputter

(verb) climb awkwardly, as if by scrambling

sputter

(verb) make an explosive sound; “sputtering engines”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

sputter (countable and uncountable, plural sputters)

Moist matter thrown out in small detached particles.

Confused and hasty speech.

Verb

sputter (third-person singular simple present sputters, present participle sputtering, simple past and past participle sputtered)

(intransitive) To emit saliva or spit from the mouth in small, scattered portions, as in rapid speaking.

(ambitransitive) To speak so rapidly as to emit saliva; to utter words hastily and indistinctly, with a spluttering sound, as in rage.

(ambitransitive) To throw out anything, as little jets of steam, with a noise like that made by one sputtering.

(physics, intransitive) To cause surface atoms or electrons of a solid to be ejected by bombarding it with heavy atoms or ions.

(physics, transitive) To coat the surface of an object by sputtering.

Anagrams

• putters

Source: Wiktionary

Sput"ter, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Sputtered; p. pr. & vb. n. Sputtering.] Etym: [From the root of spout or spit to eject from the mputh. Cf. Splutter.]

1. To spit, or to emit saliva from the mouth in small, scattered portions, as in rapid speaking.

2. To utter words hastily and indistinctly; to speak so rapidly as to emit saliva. They could neither of them speak their rage, and so fell a sputtering at one another, like two roasting apples. Congreve.

3. To throw out anything, as little jets of steam, with a noise like that made by one sputtering. Like the green wood . . . sputtering in the flame. Dryden.

Sput"ter, v. t.

Definition: To spit out hastily by quick, successive efforts, with a spluttering sound; to utter hastily and confusedly, without control over the organs of speech. In the midst of caresses, and without the last pretend incitement, to sputter out the basest accusations. Swift.

Sput"ter, n.

Definition: Moist matter thrown out in small detached particles; also, confused and hasty speech.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition