1891 ‘S. C. Scrivener’ 41 He had..put on a clean collar over a pitter-pattering heart.
1969 27 June 20/2 His outlay of less than $1,000 for carpeting was a small price to pay to give sure footing for 1,600 pitter-pattering hooves.
1993 10 Oct. (Review Suppl.) 39/4 The subfusc style that served her so well in concert last year—all acoustic guitars, string bass and pitter-pattering conga drums.