putter
verb /ˈpʌtə(r)/
/ˈpʌtər/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they putter | /ˈpʌtə(r)/ /ˈpʌtər/ |
| he / she / it putters | /ˈpʌtəz/ /ˈpʌtərz/ |
| past simple puttered | /ˈpʌtəd/ /ˈpʌtərd/ |
| past participle puttered | /ˈpʌtəd/ /ˈpʌtərd/ |
| -ing form puttering | /ˈpʌtərɪŋ/ /ˈpʌtərɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive] (of a boat or vehicle) to make a repeated low sound as it moves slowly
- the puttering of the engine as it reduced speed
- (North American English) (British English potter)[intransitive] (+ adv./prep.) to do things or move without hurrying, especially when you are doing something that you enjoy and that is not important
- I spent the morning puttering around the house.
Word Originverb sense 1 1940s: imitative.verb sense 2 late 19th cent.: alteration.