ADJ.
small
VERB + SPRAT
throw
SPRAT + NOUN
ab, sixpence
PREP.
out
noun
Any of various small, herring-like, marine fish in the genus Sprattus, in the family Clupeidae.
Any of various similar fish of other genera.
Anything petty or insignificant.
A sixpence.
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.
verb
To manure (land) with sprats (the fish).
[…] 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.
noun — small herring processed like a sardine
noun — small fatty European fish
To sacrifice something of little value in the hope of gaining something better.
It is pertinent to remember that in 1892, the M.S.W.J.R. had secured from the L.S.W.R. running powers between Andover and Southampton Dock, so no doubt the "Solent Scheme" should p
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) ab
Wiktionary[…] 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.
WiktionaryThrow a sprat to catch a whale.
Tatoeba · #22146Throw out a sprat to catch a mackerel.
Tatoeba · #9770620Throw a sprat to catch a mackerel.
Tatoeba · #11212789The sprat is a small marine fish that lives in numerous schools.
Tatoeba · #11912783i Register
In some senses, sprat is marked as obsolete, slang, UK, historical. Watch for register when choosing this word.