sputter
verb /ˈspʌtə(r)/
/ˈspʌtər/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they sputter | /ˈspʌtə(r)/ /ˈspʌtər/ |
| he / she / it sputters | /ˈspʌtəz/ /ˈspʌtərz/ |
| past simple sputtered | /ˈspʌtəd/ /ˈspʌtərd/ |
| past participle sputtered | /ˈspʌtəd/ /ˈspʌtərd/ |
| -ing form sputtering | /ˈspʌtərɪŋ/ /ˈspʌtərɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive] if an engine, a lamp or a fire sputters, it makes a series of short explosive sounds synonym splutter
- Suddenly the car sputtered and stopped.
- sputtering fireworks
- [transitive] + speech | sputter something to speak quickly and with difficulty, making soft spitting sounds, because you are angry or shocked synonym splutter
- ‘W-What?’ sputtered Anna.
Word Originlate 16th cent. (as a verb): from Dutch sputteren, of imitative origin.