† pittern.1
English regional (Yorkshire). Obsolete. rare.
(A name for) a stream or rivulet.
ΚΠ
1546 in W. Page Certificates Chantries County of York (1895) II. 305 One little sprynge called Wragby Pytter.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2006; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
pittern.2
/ˈpɪtə/, U.S. /ˈpɪdər/ Originally and chiefly North American.
A device which or person who removes the pits or stones from fruit.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > food manufacture and preparation > preparation for table or cooking > preparing fruit and vegetables > [noun] > stoning fruit > one who stones fruit
pitter1877
1877 Defiance (Ohio) Democrat 12 July Charley is a hardware merchant and ought to keep his machines for sale, but he doesn't. He is generous, however, and loans his cherry pitter.
1890 Cent. Dict. Pitter,..1. One who removes pits or stones from fruit.—2. An implement for removing the stones from such fruit as plums and peaches; a fruit-stoner.
1891 Overland Monthly Oct. 367/1 A fortune awaits the man that invents a satisfactory and rapid cling pitter.
1943 J. G. Woodroof in D. K. Tressler & C. F. Evers Freezing Preservation of Foods ix. 294 About half of the time consumed in the passage of the peaches from the lye peeler to the container is while they are in the pitter's pan.
1979 United States 1980–1 (Penguin Travel Guides) 320 You can find every possible domestic..item here, from cherry pitters to egg slicers.
2003 Manch. Guardian Weekly (Nexis) 9 July 19 We picked what we could, barely ripe, pushed out the stones with an olive pitter, and lay them out in the sun to dry.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2006; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
pitterv.1
/ˈpɪtə/, U.S. /ˈpɪdər/ intransitive. To complain; to whine. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > suffering > displeasure > discontent or dissatisfaction > state of complaining > complain [verb (intransitive)]
murkeOE
misspeakOE
yomer971
chidea1000
murkenOE
grutch?c1225
mean?a1300
hum13..
plainta1325
gruntc1325
plainc1325
musea1382
murmurc1390
complain1393
contrary1393
flitec1400
pinea1425
grummec1430
aggrudge1440
hoinec1440
mutterc1450
grudge1461
channerc1480
grunch1487
repine1529
storm?1553
expostulate1561
grumblea1586
gruntle1591
chunter1599
swagger1599
maunder1622
orp1634
objurgate1642
pitter1672
yelp1706
yammer1794
natter1804
murgeon1808
groan1816
squawk1875
jower1879
grouse1887
beef1888
to whip the cat1892
holler1904
yip1907
peeve1912
grouch1916
nark1916
to sound off1918
create1919
moana1922
crib1925
tick1925
bitch1930
gripe1932
bind1942
drip1942
kvetchc1950
to rag on1979
wrinch2011
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > voice or vocal sound > cry or shout (loudness) > cry of emotion or pain > [verb (intransitive)] > whine
whingea1150
whinec1275
gowlc1300
hoinec1440
fipple?1507
yearn1582
pitter1672
whindle1709
1672 R. L'Estrange tr. G. Bona Manductio ad Cœlum xxx. 214 It is the wambling of a Nauseous mind (the Ladies disease) to stand pittering, because (forsooth) I could not be admitted.
1791 T. Mendham Wonder Working Water-mill Displayed 26 He could but observe his Hannah, who, tho' usually chearful, would sometimes be pittering and pittering about the goings on at the farm.
1799 Witch, & Maid of Honour I. 170 Just like my young lord here, pittering and pining, and just ready to die away at the smell of cowslips and violets.
1861 All Year Round 24 Aug. 518/1 If I go pittering and pining to my comrades, they will all of them want to come with me.
1948 I. Brown No Idle Words 124 The pittering child suggests a fractious kind of fatigue.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2006; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
pitterv.2
/ˈpɪtə/, U.S. /ˈpɪdər/ intransitive. To make a rapid succession of light taps, or similar slight sounds; to run with quick, light-sounding steps. Cf. patter v.2
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > speech > repetition > repeat [verb (intransitive)] > mechanically
chimec1405
pattera1425
parrot1596
parrotize1647
pitter1805
poll-parrot1865
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > repeated sound or succession of sounds > [verb (intransitive)] > patter or spatter
pit-a-pat1606
patter1611
spatter1673
pitter1805
pitter-patter1808
happer1825
1805 Edinb. Rev. Jan. 280 They have gone on for many thousand years pittering to each other in a jargon which resembles the chuckling of poultry more than the language of men.
1959 J. Kerouac Doctor Sax 217 ‘No, son,’ said Sax, as the first drops pittered and I look all around at the suddenly dark night with its rainshrouds.
1989 ‘C. Roman’ Foreplay ix. 102 After getting into somebody's stash of pot, he pitters into my room.
1993 Independent (Nexis) 30 May 20 Rats pittered round a barn.
2002 Press Jrnl. (Vero Beach, Florida) (Nexis) 29 Sept. c1 My heart pittered with brief hope at the word connections.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, June 2006; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
n.11546
n.21877v.11672v.21805- to be taken up with
- to be talked of
- to be talking telephone numbers
- to be telling
- to be the better
- to be the business
- to be the death of
- to be the end of
- to be the eyes and ears of
- to be the firstest with the mostest
- to be the goods
- to be the grit
- to be the judge
- to be the judge of
- to be the latter
- to be the living proof of
- to be the living proof that
- to be the making of
- to be the makings of
- to be the means occasionally also mean of
- to be the means of
- to be the mustard
- to be the rage
- to be the salvation of
- to be the worse for liquor