SPUTTER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does sputter mean? 

• SPUTTER (noun)
  The noun SPUTTER has 2 senses:

1. the noise of something spattering or sputtering explosively

2. an utterance (of words) with spitting sounds (as in rage)

  Familiarity information: SPUTTER used as a noun is rare.

• SPUTTER (verb)
  The verb SPUTTER has 5 senses:

1. make an explosive sound

2. cause to undergo a process in which atoms are removed

3. climb awkwardly, as if by scrambling

4. utter with a spitting sound, as if in a rage

5. spit up in an explosive manner

  Familiarity information: SPUTTER used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SPUTTER (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The noise of something spattering or sputtering explosively

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

spatter; spattering; splatter; splattering; splutter; sputter; sputtering

Context example:

he heard a spatter of gunfire

Hypernyms ("sputter" is a kind of...):

noise (sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound))

Derivation:

sputter (make an explosive sound)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An utterance (of words) with spitting sounds (as in rage)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

splutter; sputter

Hypernyms ("sputter" is a kind of...):

utterance; vocalization (the use of uttered sounds for auditory communication)

Derivation:

sputter (utter with a spitting sound, as if in a rage)

• SPUTTER (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they sputter    ... he / she / it sputters   
Past simple: sputtered   
Past participle: sputtered   
-ing form: sputtering   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make an explosive sound

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Context example:

sputtering engines

Hypernyms (to "sputter" is one way to...):

pop (make a sharp explosive noise)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

sputter; sputtering (the noise of something spattering or sputtering explosively)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Cause to undergo a process in which atoms are removed

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

The solar wind protons must sputter away the surface atoms of the dust

Hypernyms (to "sputter" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Climb awkwardly, as if by scrambling

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

clamber; scramble; shin; shinny; skin; sputter; struggle

Hypernyms (to "sputter" is one way to...):

climb (move with difficulty, by grasping)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Sense 4

Meaning:

Utter with a spitting sound, as if in a rage

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

splutter; sputter

Hypernyms (to "sputter" is one way to...):

emit; let loose; let out; utter (express audibly; utter sounds (not necessarily words))

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence examples:

Cars sputter in the streets
The streets sputter with cars

Derivation:

sputter (an utterance (of words) with spitting sounds (as in rage))

Sense 5

Meaning:

Spit up in an explosive manner

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

spit out; splutter; sputter

Hypernyms (to "sputter" is one way to...):

cough out; cough up; expectorate; spit out; spit up (discharge (phlegm or sputum) from the lungs and out of the mouth)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

 Context examples 

Because more charged particles would be created, there also would be more sputtering, another form of atmospheric loss.

(Mars Mission Sheds Light on Habitability of Distant Planets, NASA)

A very cheerful wood-fire was sputtering and cracking in an open grate at the further end of the apartment.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

A mass spectrometry technique in which a solid sample is atomized and ionized by sputtering in low-pressure direct-current plasma prior to the separation and detection of the ions in a mass analyzer.

(Glow Discharge Mass Spectrometry, NCI Thesaurus)

When we had slices enough done to begin upon, we fell-to, with our sleeves still tucked up at the wrist, more slices sputtering and blazing on the fire, and our attention divided between the mutton on our plates, and the mutton then preparing.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

The sputtering wood fire threw out a circle of red flickering light which played over the little group of wayfarers, and showed up every line and shadow upon their faces.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Sputtering happens when energetic particles are accelerated into the atmosphere and knock molecules around, kicking some of them out into space and sending others crashing into their neighbors, the way a cue ball does in a game of pool.

(Mars Mission Sheds Light on Habitability of Distant Planets, NASA)

I had only time, in dressing, to glance at the solid furniture, the framed pieces of work (done, I supposed, by Steerforth's mother when she was a girl), and some pictures in crayons of ladies with powdered hair and bodices, coming and going on the walls, as the newly-kindled fire crackled and sputtered, when I was called to dinner.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

I smell the fog that hung about the place; I see the hoar frost, ghostly, through it; I feel my rimy hair fall clammy on my cheek; I look along the dim perspective of the schoolroom, with a sputtering candle here and there to light up the foggy morning, and the breath of the boys wreathing and smoking in the raw cold as they blow upon their fingers, and tap their feet upon the floor.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)