sputtern.
/ˈspʌtə/, U.S. /ˈspədər/ 1.
a. Noisy or violent and confused speech or discourse; angry, excited, or fussy argument or protest; fuss, clamour; = splutter n. 1b.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > voice or vocal sound > cry or shout (loudness) > [noun] > outcry or clamour
reamOE
ropeOE
brack?c1200
utas1202
hootinga1225
berec1225
noise?c1225
ludea1275
cryc1275
gredingc1275
boastc1300
utasa1325
huec1330
outcrya1382
exclamation1382
ascry1393
spraya1400
clamourc1405
shoutingc1405
scry1419
rumourc1425
motion?a1439
bemec1440
harrowc1440
shout1487
songa1500
brunt1523
ditec1540
uproar1544
clamouring1548
outrage1548
hubbub1555
racket1565
succlamation1566
rear1567
outcrying1569
bellowing1579
brawl1581
hue and cry1584
exclaiming1585
exclaim1587
sanctus1594
hubbaboo1596
oyez1597
conclamation1627
sputter1673
rout1684
dirduma1693
hallalloo1737
yelloching1773
pillaloo1785
whillaloo1790
vocitation1819
blue murder1828
blaring1837
shilloo1842
shillooing1845
pillalooing1847
shriek1929
yammering1937
the world > relative properties > order > disorder > confusion or disorder > commotion, disturbance, or disorder > [noun] > (a) noisy
rippit?1507
hubbleshowa1525
burlinga1533
hubble-shubblec1550
burle1563
coil1567
hirdy-girdy1568
riff-raff1582
rut1607
hubbuba1625
clutter1656
sputter1673
splutter1677
rattle1688
rumpus1745
ree-raw1797
bobbery1816
trevally1819
stramash1821
nitty1822
hell's delight1823
pandemonium1827
oration1828
Bob's-a-dying1829
hubbaboo1830
reerie1832
circus1869
tow-row1877
ruaille buaille1885
brouhaha1890
foofaraw1933
bangarang1943
bassa-bassa1956
1673 W. Wycherley Gentleman Dancing-master v. i All the sputter I made was but to make this young man..believe..that it was not with my connivance or consent.
1676 A. Marvell Mr. Smirke sig. F4v But he must make some sputter, rather then be held to the terms of the Question.
1706 E. Baynard Cold Baths (1709) ii. 275 Z[oun]ds it will kill you (quoth he in Sputter and Passion).
1721 R. Steele Conscious Lovers iv. iii What a deal of pother and sputter here is between my mistress and Mr. Myrtle from mere punctilio.
1769 H. Brooke Fool of Quality IV. xvii. 101 Weak or vapid tempers..boil over in..factious sputter and turbulence.
1812 I. D'Israeli Calam. Auth. I. 238 He has..chronicled his suppressed feelings..with all the flame and sputter of his strong prejudices.
1884 Christian Commonw. 23 Oct. 20/3 What is there left when the chaff of sputter and jangle of platitude and puerility has been sifted away?
b. An instance or occasion of this. rare.
ΚΠ
1692 T. Wagstaffe Vindic. King Charles vi. 64 [He] makes such a Sputter about the old Law.
1721 R. Wodrow Hist. Sufferings Church of Scotl. (1828) I. 340/1 [They] made a terrible sputter against private meetings and societies for prayer.
c. A state of bustling confusion or excitement.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > vigour or energy > [noun] > briskness or activeness > bustle or fuss
to-doc1330
adoc1380
great (also much) cry and little woolc1460
feery-fary1535
fray1568
stirc1595
do1598
coil1599
hurl1603
ruffle1609
clutterment1611
buzz1628
bustle1637
paddle1642
racket1644
clutter1652
tracas1656
tracasserie1656
circumference1667
flutter1667
hurly-burly1678
fuss1701
fissle1719
fraise1725
hurry-scurry1753
fix-fax1768
fal-lal1775
widdle1789
touse1792
fuffle1801
going-on1817
hurry and scurry1823
sputter1823
tew1825
Bob's-a-dying1829
fidge1832
tamasha1842
mulling1845
mussing1846
fettling1847
fooster1847
trade1854
scrimmage1855
carry-on1861
fuss-and-feathers1866
on-carry1870
make-a-do1880
miration1883
razzle-dazzle1885
song and dance1885
to get a rustle on1891
tea-party1903
stirabout1905
whoop-de-do1910
chichi1928
production1941
go-go1966
1823 in Spirit of Public Jrnls. 150 He will live in a sputter, And die in a gutter.
a1898 in Eng. Dial. Dict. (at cited word) In a sputter, in a fuss.
2. Matter ejected in or by sputtering. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > going or coming out > [noun] > sudden or violent > of particles > that which
sputter1748
sputterings1894
1748 S. Richardson Clarissa V. xxv. 222 She pouted out her blubber-lips, as if to bellows up wind and sputter into her horse-nostrils.
1818 H. J. Todd Johnson's Dict. Eng. Lang. Sputter, moisture thrown out in small drops.
3.
a. The action or an act of sputtering; the emission of small particles with some amount of explosive sound; the sound characteristic of or accompanying this. Frequently figurative or in figurative context.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > sudden or violent sound > explosive sound > [noun] > sputtering sound
puttering1824
sputter1837
sputtering1837
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > going or coming out > letting or sending out > [noun] > emission > explosive emission of particles
spitting1611
sputter1837
sputtering1837
1837 T. Carlyle French Revol. I. iii. v. 124 ‘It is a quite new kind of contest this with the Parlement:’ no transitory sputter, as from collision of hard bodies.
1845 A. Smith Fortunes Scattergood Family II. xi. 146 Nothing breaking the silence but the occasional sputter of the rushlight.
1894 Rev. of Reviews Apr. 403/1 The peaceful partition of Africa..is evidently going to be carried out amid a constant sputter of little wars.
b. A spattering or sprinkling.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > arrangement or fact of being arranged > state of being scattered or dispersed > [noun] > that which is scattered > a quantity scattered
scatter1859
sputter1886
1886 J. Ruskin Præterita II. v. 150 But, outside the ramparts, no more poor. A sputter, perhaps,..along the Savoy road.
Compounds
sputter ion pump n. [perhaps < sputter v.] Physics a pump in which the gas is absorbed by a getter that is deposited by sputtering it from a cathode.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > physics > atomic physics > ion > [noun] > subjection to stream of particles > pump employed in
sputter ion pump1962
1962 Sci. Amer. Mar. 82/1 (caption) Sputter ion pump works by ionizing gas molecules and removing them from the chamber..to be evacuated.
1980 J. F. O'Hanlon User's Guide Vacuum Technol. ix. 221 The sputter ion pump has the advantage of freedom from hydrocarbon contamination and ease of fault protecting but does suffer from the reemission of previously pumped gases.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1915; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
sputterv.
/ˈspʌtə/, U.S. /ˈspədər/ 1.
a. transitive. To spit out in small particles and with a characteristic explosive sound or a series of such sounds. Also in figurative context.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > going or coming out > letting or sending out > let or send out [verb (transitive)] > emit > particles or sparks
spattera1586
sparkle1590
spark1596
sputter1598
spirtle1612
spatter1721
splatter1786
splutter1835
spurtle1858
1598 J. Marston Scourge of Villanie iii. x. sig. H6v Avaunt lewd curre, presume not speake, Or with thy venome-sputtering chapps to barke Gainst well-pend Poems.
1602 T. Dekker Satiro-mastix sig. I3v Thy sputtering chappes yelpe, that Arrogance, and Impudence, and Ignoraunce, are the essentiall parts of a Courtier.
1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Æneis ii, in tr. Virgil Wks. 242 Two Serpents..lick'd their hissing Jaws, that sputter'd Flame.
1720 A. Pope tr. Homer Iliad VI. xxiii. 921 Thus sow'rly wail'd he, sputt'ring Dirt and Gore.
1791 W. Cowper tr. Homer Iliad in Iliad & Odyssey I. xxiii. 972 He grasp'd his horn, and sputt'ring as he stood The ordure forth, the Argives thus bespake.
1835 T. Mitchell in tr. Aristophanes Acharnians 1041 (note) A habit which he had of sputtering his saliva on bystanders.
b. transferred. To scatter, throw up or about, in small particles.
ΚΠ
1845 S. Judd Margaret i. xvii. 174 One [sled] went giddying round and round, fraying and sputtering the snow, and dashed against a tree.
2.
a. To utter hastily and with the emission of small particles of saliva; to ejaculate in a confused, indistinct, or uncontrolled manner, esp. from anger or excitement. Cf. splutter v. 1.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > speech > manner of speaking > say in a particular manner [verb (transitive)] > say hastily or confusedly
rabblec1430
volley1591
sputtera1677
slobber1692
splutter1729
sputter1730
spuffle1861
a1677 I. Barrow Several Serm. Evil-speaking (1678) iv. 169 Nor out of..inadvertency should we sputter out reproachfull speech.
1681 H. Neville Plato Redivivus 260 I have known some men so full of their own Notions, that they went up and down sputtering them in every Mans Face.
1753 S. Foote Englishman in Paris i. 16 Our pretty Gentlemen..sputter nothing but bad French in the Side-boxes at Home.
1818 Ld. Byron Beppo xli. 21 Like our harsh northern whistling, grunting guttural, Which we're oblig'd to hiss, and spit, and sputter all.
1841 R. Browning Pippa Passes i, in Bells & Pomegranates No. I 5/2 So Luca..lives to sputter His fulsome dotage on you.
1891 ‘S. C. Scrivener’ Our Fields & Cities 172 Don't be a fool when you are talking to the managing clerk.., and go sputtering any of this rot to him.
b. With out.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > speech > manner of speaking > say in a particular manner [verb (transitive)] > say hastily or confusedly
rabblec1430
volley1591
sputtera1677
slobber1692
splutter1729
sputter1730
spuffle1861
1730 J. Swift Vindic. Ld. C—— 12 Without the least pretended Incitement, [to] sputter out the basest and falsest Accusations.
1783 F. Burney Early Diary (1889) II. 310 This speech he sputtered out just as if his mouth had been full of beef and pudding.
1877 W. Smith & H. Wace Dict. Christian Biogr. I. 469 Another desperate attempt to sputter out the guttural, Phthasuarsas, is found in Theophanes.
3. intransitive. Of persons: To eject from the mouth, to spit out, food or saliva in small particles with some force and in a noisy explosive manner.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > organs of excretion > action of slavering > slaver [verb (intransitive)] > spit
spattlec1000
spetec1000
spittlec1340
spit1377
spetc1421
fipple?1507
reach1540
spawl1599
spatter1618
sputter1681
expectorate1823
gob1881
flob1977
1681 H. More Plain Expos. Daniel 285 The Welch-man..bit the Rine of the Orange into his mouth together with the Pulp, which made him sputter and make hard faces.
1683 T. Tryon Way to Health 305 They feed them till they sputter out of their Mouthes, and also cast it up.
1719 D. Defoe Life Robinson Crusoe 251 Putting a little [salt] into his own Mouth, he seem'd to nauseate it, and would spit and sputter at it.
1792 F. Burney Let. 22 June in Jrnls. & Lett. (1972) I. 199 Putting her face close to mine, & sputtering at every word from excessive eagerness.
1845 C. Whitehead Richard Savage 350 As a child sputters and wawls when physic is forced upon it.
1878 P. Bayne Chief Actors Puritan Revol. ii. 28 His tongue was too large for his mouth; he stuttered and sputtered.
4. To speak or talk hastily and confusedly or disjointedly.Frequently with implication of preceding sense.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > speech > manner of speaking > speak in a particular manner [verb (intransitive)] > speak hastily or confusedly
spatter1618
sputter1681
1681 Heraclitus Ridens 27 Dec. 2/1 He storms and sputters like—..like any thing.
1696 W. Mountague Delights Holland 4 The Servants..sputter'd in Dutch, which they understood not.
1730 J. Swift Traulus I 3 Why must he sputter, spaul and slaver it In vain, against the People's Fav'rite?
1730 J. Swift Traulus I 6 For let him sputter thro' a S..ss..n, It never makes the least Impression.
1831 E. J. Trelawny Adventures Younger Son II. xix. 160 Sputtering about the ignorance of womankind.
1852 H. Rogers Eclipse of Faith 167 They began to sputter at one another, on the supposition that each was mocking his neighbour.
1872 Ld. Tennyson Last Tournament in Gareth & Lynette 95 Then, sputtering thro' the hedge of splinter'd teeth,..said the maim'd churl.
5. figurative.1879 J. McCarthy Hist. our Own Times II. xviii. 16 Chartism bubbled and sputtered a little yet in some of the provincial towns.1977 Time 11 Apr. 36/3 Terrorism sputters on, but Argentines have learned to cope with it, even ignore it.
a. To make or give out a sputtering sound or sounds, esp. under the influence of heat; with adverb, to move away, come in, etc., with a sputtering sound; also figurative.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > sudden or violent sound > explosive sound > [verb (intransitive)] > sputter
sputter1692
frizz1834
thutter1904
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > sudden or violent sound > explosive sound > [verb (transitive)] > sputter
sputter1692
1692 J. Dryden Cleomenes i. i. 2 Like the Green Wood That sputtring in the Flame works outward into Tears.
1707 E. Ward Wooden World Dissected 79 Vex him then, and he shall swell and sputter like a roasted Apple.
1866 J. G. Whittier Snow-bound 172 The mug of cider simmered slow, The apples sputtered in a row.
1936 L. C. Douglas White Banners ix. 200 The taxi sputtered away.
1977 N. Sahgal Situation in New Delhi xii. 123 Thank God no one was around as they sputtered in.
b. Of a candle, fire, etc. Also with out, to sputter and die out (in quots., figurative). (Cf. sputtered adj.)
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > sudden or violent sound > explosive sound > [verb (intransitive)] > sputter > of candle or fire
sputter1845
the world > existence and causation > existence > non-existence > be non-existent [verb (intransitive)] > end or cease to exist
tirec725
endOE
forfareOE
goc1175
fleec1200
to wend awayc1225
diea1240
to-melta1240
to pass awaya1325
flit1340
perishc1350
vanisha1375
decorre1377
cease1382
dispend1393
failc1400
overshakec1425
surcease1439
adrawc1450
fall1523
decease1538
define1562
fleet1576
expire1595
evanish1597
extinguish1599
extirp1606
disappear1623
evaporatea1631
trans-shift1648
annihilate1656
exolve1657
cancela1667
to pass off1699
to burn out, forth1832
spark1845
to die out1853
to come, go, etc. by the board1859
sputter1964
1845 A. Smith Fortunes Scattergood Family II. xiii. 199 The candle..was sputtering with the rain-drops.
1849 C. Dickens David Copperfield (1850) xx. 206 The newly-kindled fire crackled and sputtered.
1889 D. C. Murray & H. Murray Dangerous Catspaw 20 A gas jet, which shrieked and sputtered as he applied the match.
1964 D. Macarthur Reminisc. vi. 162 I was certain that..his advance would sputter out as it ran ahead of its supply line.
1974 H. L. Foster Ribbin', Jivin', & Playin' Dozens v. 228 In most cases, if teachers would not interfere, these incidents would sputter out.
6. Physics.
a. To remove atoms of (a metal) from a cathode by bombarding it with fast positive ions; to deposit (metal removed in this way) on another surface.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > physics > atomic physics > ion > [verb (transitive)] > remove by bombardment
sputter1910
1910 London, Edinb., & Dublin Philos. Mag. 6th Ser. 20 337 A relatively thick film was sputtered on a 1 mm. quartz plate.
1924 Science 31 Oct. 392/2 The cathode drop sputters tungsten from the cathode in an amount..between 10—6 and 10—7 grams.
1949 S. Frankel in J. F. Blackburn Components Handbk. v. 182 A gold plating is sputtered on and is baked for at least one hour at 500°C.
1961 Proc. IRE 49 1148/2 The gas is found in the metal which has been sputtered from the cathode.
1965 Wireless World Aug. 409/1 The positive plasma ions..impinge with sufficient energy to sputter atoms onto an adjacent substrate.
1974 Sci. Amer. Apr. 35/1 The film can be sputtered onto the substrate in a vacuum chamber.
b. To cover (a surface) with metal by sputtering.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > physics > atomic physics > ion > [verb (transitive)] > cover by sputtering
sputter1910
1910 London, Edinb., & Dublin Philos. Mag. 6th Ser. 20 331 Two plates were sputtered simultaneously so as to insure the same thickness for both films.
1962 Sci. Amer. Mar. 86/3 The steady hail of ions ‘sputters’ the surface.
1971 Physics Bull. Sept. 554/2 Pure silica glass surfaces have been sputtered by 20 keV argon ions at 0° incidence to the general plane.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1915; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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