Spat

Quick meaning: Spat is a verb meaning simple past and past participle of spit.

Meaning

simple past and past participle of spit.

More Meanings

1. The spawn of shellfish, especially oysters and similar molluscs.
2. A juvenile shellfish which has attached to a hard surface.
3. (ambitransitive) To spawn, used of shellfish as above.
4. (often in the plural) A covering or decorative covering worn over a shoe.
5. (automotive, UK, Australia) A piece of bodywork that covers the upper portions of the rear tyres of a car.
6. A brief argument, falling out, quarrel.
7. (aviation) A drag-reducing aerodynamic fairing covering the upper portions of the tyres of an aeroplane equipped with non-retractable landing gear.

Example Sentences

have a vicious spat with the cousins

get into a trivial spat over punctuality

There was no sink in the room so we spat out the window.

But Orata’s oysters were, like the dormice and fish, collected in the wild, as spat.

Word Forms

• spats
• spatting
• spatted

Synonyms for spat

Depending on context, synonyms include tiff, squabble, barney, bicker, quarrel, wrangle.

Antonyms for spat

Common opposites include hiss, boo.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include gaiter, clap, fuss, tiff, bickering, squabble.

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