Sprat
Definition, Meaning & Examples
Pronunciation /spɹæt/ · Part of speech noun
Quick meaning: Sprat is a noun meaning Any of various small, herring-like, marine fish in the genus Sprattus, in the family Clupeidae.
Meaning
Any of various small, herring-like, marine fish in the genus Sprattus, in the family Clupeidae.
More Meanings
- Any of various similar fish of other genera.
- (by extension) Anything petty or insignificant.
- (UK, slang, obsolete) A sixpence.
- (transitive, historical) To manure (land) with sprats (the fish).
Example Sentences
[…] spratting the land. This treatment is supplemented by about half a ton of artificial manure, largely made up of a mixture of superphosphate and some nitrogenous manure.
The price of a case (five shillings piece bad) from the smasher is about one shilling; an alderman (two and sixpence) about sixpence; a peg (shilling) about threepence; a downer or sprat (sixpence) about twopence.
Word Forms
- sprats
- spratting
- spratted
Synonyms for sprat
Depending on context, synonyms include brisling.
Related Words
Related dictionary entries include brisling, anchovy, spratter, spratting, skipper, pilchard.
Related Dictionary Tools
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.