spat
gb/spˈæt/ us/spˈæt/
A2
English
~ 2000
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
event
1
A brief, petty quarrel
A small and quick argument between people.
Usage pattern:
to have a spat with [someone]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'spat' with 'spit' due to similar spelling, but 'spat' here means an argument, not ejecting saliva.
Synonyms
quarrel (More general term for an argument; can be longer or more serious.)
|
tiff (Informal term for a light or petty argument.)
Antonyms
agreement (Represents harmony or consensus, the opposite of a disagreement.)
Collocations
have a spat
|lover's spat
|petty spat
|family spat
Themes
relationships
|emotions
|daily life
|communication
Examples
- They had a little spat over where to go for dinner.
- The two friends got into a spat about politics.
- It was just a minor spat, and they made up quickly.
- Their spat in the meeting surprised everyone.
- A lover's spat isn't unusual in long relationships.
Learner examples
- I had a spat with my brother.
- They had a small spat about the TV show.
- We had a short spat but then we were fine.
- My friends had a spat yesterday.
- She had a spat with her classmate.
Verb
A2
action
2
Ejected saliva from the mouth
'Spat' is the past tense of 'spit', meaning you pushed saliva out of your mouth.
Usage pattern:
[someone] spat [something]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'spat' as only a noun. In fact, it is also the past form of 'spit'.
Synonyms
expectorated (More formal/medical term for spitting.)
Antonyms
swallowed (Opposite physical action of keeping saliva inside the mouth.)
Collocations
spat blood
|spat on the ground
|spat in disgust
Themes
bodily actions
|body
|health
Examples
- He spat on the sidewalk.
- She spat the medicine into the sink.
- The man spat in disgust when he heard the news.
- They spat blood after the fight.
- I accidentally spat while laughing.
Learner examples
- He spat on the ground.
- She spat the food out.
- I spat when I coughed.
- The boy spat in the street.
- She spat after tasting it.
Noun
technical
B2
entity
3
A juvenile oyster or shellfish
A very young oyster or shellfish that has just attached to something in the water.
Synonyms
juvenile oyster (Direct descriptive synonym for the early stage of an oyster.)
Collocations
oyster spat
|collect spat
|spat settlement
Themes
biology
|fishing
|animals
|nature
|food_drink
Examples
- The farm collects oyster spat in the summer.
- Spat are raised in tanks before being moved to open waters.
- The health of the spat determines future harvests.
- Marine biologists study the survival rate of spat.
- Spat settlement is crucial for oyster farming.
Learner examples
- The farm grows oyster spat.
- Spat are baby oysters.
- We saw spat in the water.
- The fishermen collect spat.
- Spat grow into big oysters.
Noun
archaic
C1
entity
4
Cloth covering worn over shoes
A small cover worn over shoes to protect them or for fashion, used in the past.
Synonyms
gaiter (Similar protective clothing, but gaiters usually extend higher up the leg.)
Collocations
white spats
|wear spats
Themes
clothing
|history
Examples
- The gentleman wore white spats with his suit.
- Spats were fashionable in the early 20th century.
- He polished his shoes and adjusted his spats.
- The costume included a hat and spats.
- Spats are rarely seen outside period dramas.
Learner examples
- The man wore white spats.
- Spats were used long ago.
- He put on his spats before going out.
- Spats covered his shoes.
- Spats are not common today.
Grammar
Dictionary form
spat
IPA
GB/spˈæt/
US/spˈæt/
Syllables & stress
spat (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (spat)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: spat
- Plural: spat, spats
Word family
Forms
spats
noun
Expressions
have a spat with someone
1/hˈæv ə spˈæt wˈɪθ sˈʌmwˌʌn/
fixed phrase
Engage in a petty quarrel with someone
To have a short and small argument with another person.
Examples
- I had a spat with my coworker this morning.
- She often has spats with her sister over small things.
lover's spat
1/lˈʌvɚz spˈæt/
fixed phrase
A small quarrel between lovers
A short, unimportant argument between people in a romantic relationship.
Examples
- They had a lover's spat but made up quickly.
- A lover's spat is nothing to worry about if you communicate.