i Register
In some senses, spat is marked as UK, US. Watch for register when choosing this word.
spat
/spæt/
noun 8verb 4
Collocations
5ADJ.
developed, over, terrible, trivial, vicious, wild
VERB + SPAT
assaulted
SPAT + NOUN
beer, cousins, floor, layla, mary, punctuality, soup, water
PREP.
in, into, into, off, on, out, with
ADV.
physically
Definitions
noun
1
The spawn of shellfish, especially oysters and similar molluscs.
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.
But Orata’s oysters were, like the dormice and fish, collected in the wild, as spat.
2
A juvenile shellfish which has attached to a hard surface.
Conditions in pearl oyster hatcheries are optimized for growth and survival of spat.
If the spat are allowed to remain attached to the tank bottom for more than two days, they are difficult to remove without damage to the shell.
verb
1
To spawn, used of shellfish as above.
noun
1
A covering or decorative covering worn over a shoe.
2
A piece of bodywork that covers the upper portions of the rear tyres of a car.
3
A drag-reducing aerodynamic fairing covering the upper portions of the tyres of an aeroplane equipped with non-retractable landing gear.
Thesaurus
Idioms & Phrases
Example Bank
601
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.
Wiktionary02
But Orata’s oysters were, like the dormice and fish, collected in the wild, as spat.
Wiktionary03
Conditions in pearl oyster hatcheries are optimized for growth and survival of spat.
Wiktionary04
get into a trivial spat over punctuality
Wiktionary05
have a vicious spat with the cousins
Wiktionary06
He felt the wind of a second bullet that spatted against a boulder near Barney.
WiktionaryUsage Notes
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