patter - What does it mean?
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Definition of 'patter'English
Etymology 1
1610s, of (onomatopoeia) origin.
Noun
( en-noun)
The soft sound of feet walking on a hard surface.
- I could hear the patter of mice running about in the dark.
*{{quote-book|year=1907|author=
|title=The Dust of Conflict
|chapter=7 citation
|passage=The patter of feet, and clatter of strap and swivel, seemed to swell into a bewildering din, but they were almost upon the fielato offices, where the carretera entered the town, before a rifle flashed.}}
Derived terms
* pitter-patter
Verb
( en-verb)
To make irregularly repeated sounds of low-to-moderate magnitude and lower-than-average pitch.
- The bullets pattered into the log-cabin walls.
* Thomson
- The stealing shower is scarce to patter heard.
To spatter; to sprinkle.
* J. R. Drake
- Patter the water about the boat.
Etymology 2
Circa 1400, from .
Noun attested 1758, originally referring to the cant of thieves and beggers.Noun
( en-noun)
Glib and rapid speech, such as from an auctioneer, or banter during a sports event.
Verb
( en-verb)
To speak in such a way – glibly and rapidly, such as from an auctioneer, or when bantering during a sports event.
* Mayhew
- I've gone out and pattered to get money.
Derived terms
* Glasgow patter
Etymology 3
Similar to 'patter'powder, putter, pater, pewter, peter, potter, pudor, pother, phthor, pouter, pettier, phatter, puter, pottier, pithier, padder, pitter, puttier, poutier, peatier, poddier, petter, pooter, petar, pitier, podder, pudder, putour, powter, pather, padar, pouther
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