Spat is the past tense and past participle of spit.
2. countable noun
A spat between people, countries, or organizations is a disagreement between them.
...a spat between America and Germany over interest rates and currencies.
Synonyms: quarrel, dispute, squabble, controversy More Synonyms of spat
3. plural noun
Spats are specially shaped pieces of cloth or leather which button down one side and which were worn in former times by men over their ankles and part of their shoes.
spat in British English1
(spæt)
noun
1. rare
a slap or smack
2.
a slight quarrel
verbWord forms: spats, spatting or spatted
3. rare
to slap (someone)
4. (intransitive) US, Canadian and New Zealand
to have a slight quarrel
Word origin
C19: probably imitative of the sound of quarrelling
spat in British English2
(spæt)
verb
a past tense and past participle of spit1
spat in British English3
(spæt)
noun
another name for gaiter (sense 2)
Word origin
C19: short for spatterdash
spat in British English4
(spæt)
noun
1.
a larval oyster or similar bivalve mollusc, esp when it settles to the sea bottom and starts to develop a shell
2.
such oysters or other molluscs collectively
Word origin
C17: from Anglo-Norman spat; perhaps related to spit1
spat in American English1
(spæt)
noun
1. Rare
a slap
2.
a quick, slapping sound
3. Informal
a brief, petty quarrel or dispute
verb intransitiveWord forms: ˈspatted or ˈspatting
4. Rare
to slap
5.
to strike with a quick, slapping sound
6. US, Informal
to engage in a spat, or quarrel
verb transitive
7. Rare
to slap
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈquarrel
Word origin
prob. echoic
spat in American English2
(spæt)
noun
a gaiterlike covering for the instep and ankle, usually of heavy cloth
Word origin
contr. < spatterdash
spat in American English3
(spæt)
verb transitive, verb intransitive
alt. pt. & pp. of
spit1
spat in American English4
(spæt)
noun
a young oyster or young oysters collectively
Word origin
Anglo-Fr < ?
Examples of 'spat' in a sentence
spat
This issue is bigger than one nasty spat over tax credits.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Ministers claim that the public diplomatic spat has little effect on inward investment.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The only beneficiaries of this slight legal spat are the lawyers.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The church has had enough of public spats between ministers on blogs and social media.
Christianity Today (2000)
He apologises publicly and then has an equally public spat with his team during the race.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Fidelity appeared unwilling to be drawn into a public spat.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
These public spats are genuine enough.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
It's not in anyone's interest to have a public spat like this.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Nor has the recent online spat between the brothers, pictured, who had appeared to have patched things up after years of feuding.
The Sun (2015)
HIS sons have had an extremely public spat over whether or not he was suffering from Alzheimer's disease while he was president.