patter

patter
[[t]pæ̱tə(r)[/t]]
patters, pattering, pattered
1) VERB If something patters on a surface, it hits it quickly several times, making quiet, tapping sounds.

[V adv/prep] Rain pattered gently outside, dripping on to the roof from the pines.

2) N-SING: oft the N of n A patter is a series of quick, quiet, tapping sounds.

...the patter of the driving rain on the roof.

3) N-SING: usu poss N Someone's patter is a series of things that they say quickly and easily, usually in order to entertain people or to persuade them to buy or do something.

There's no doubt women found him charming. It must have been his patter because he's certainly not at all good-looking...

Fran began her automatic patter about how Jon had been unavoidably detained.

Syn:

English dictionary. 2008.

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  • Patter — is a glib rapid speech, that accompanies and complements some actions, e.g., of an auctioneer, salesperson, caller (dancing), or comedian. It was a slang word for the secret or cant language used by beggars, thieves, Roma people, etc., hence the… …   Wikipedia

  • Patter — Pat ter, v. t. 1. To spatter; to sprinkle. [R.] And patter the water about the boat. J. R. Drake. [1913 Webster] 2. [See {Patter}, v. i., 2.] To mutter; as prayers. [1913 Webster] [The hooded clouds] patter their doleful prayers. Longfellow.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Patter — Pat ter, n. 1. A quick succession of slight sounds; as, the patter of rain; the patter of little feet. [1913 Webster] 2. Glib and rapid speech; a voluble harangue. [1913 Webster] 3. The cant of a class; patois; as, thieves s patter; gypsies… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • patter — [n1/v1] light walk; soft beat chatter, pad, pat, pelt, pitapat*, pitter patter*, rat a tat*, rattle, scurry, scuttle, skip, tap, tiptoe, trip; concepts 65,149 patter [n2] casual talk argot, cant, chatter, dialect, jabber*, jargon, jive*, line*,… …   New thesaurus

  • patter — patter1 [pat′ər] vi. [freq. of PAT2] 1. to make a patter 2. to run or move along so as to make a patter n. a series of quick, light taps [the patter of rain on leaves] patter2 [pat′ər] vt., vi …   English World dictionary

  • Patter — Pat ter, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Pattered}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Pattering}.] [Freq. of pat to strike gently.] 1. To strike with a quick succession of slight, sharp sounds; as, pattering rain or hail; pattering feet. [1913 Webster] The stealing shower… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • patter — ● patter verbe intransitif (de patte) En parlant des animaux de chasse, emporter à ses pieds la terre mouillée. patter [pate] v. intr. ÉTYM. 1655; de patte. ❖ ♦ Chasse. Emporter de la terre avec ses pattes en laissant des traces, en parlant du… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • patter — Ⅰ. patter [1] ► VERB 1) make a repeated light tapping sound. 2) run with quick light steps. ► NOUN ▪ a repeated light tapping sound. ORIGIN from PAT(Cf. ↑pat) …   English terms dictionary

  • Patter — (Patterle), Schnur angereihter Münzen od. Perlen …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • patter — vb chatter, prate, *chat, gab, prattle, babble, gabble, jabber, gibber …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • patter — pat|ter1 [ pætər ] verb intransitive 1. ) patter against/on etc to make a series of short quiet sounds by falling onto or hitting a surface: Rain pattered against the window. 2. ) patter over/along etc to walk or run somewhere, making a series of …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

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