splatter
/'splætə/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb:
- To scatter or dash a liquid in drops or small quantities, often messily or noisily: "splatter" describes the action of a liquid hitting a surface or being thrown, resulting in scattered drops or a messy stain.
- To flow or fall so as to cause such an effect: A liquid can "splatter" when it is spilled or falls from a height.
Noun:
- A spot or stain caused by splattered liquid: A "splatter" is the mark left behind.
- A small quantity of a liquid, especially one that has been splashed: It can refer to the liquid itself in a scattered state.
- The sound of something spattering: The noise associated with the action.
Usage Examples
Verb:
- The painter accidentally splattered blue paint across the white floor.
- When the car drove through the puddle, it splattered mud on the pedestrians.
- Be careful not to splatter the sauce while stirring the pot.
Noun:
- There was a splatter of red ink on his shirt.
- She wiped the grease splatter from the stovetop.
- We heard the splatter of rain against the windowpane.
Advanced Usage
"Splatter film/gore": A subgenre of horror film characterized by graphic, excessive bloodshed and violence.
- The movie is known as a classic splatter film from the 1980s.
"Splatter pattern": The distinctive shape and distribution of stains caused by a liquid hitting a surface, often analyzed in forensic science.
- The detective examined the blood splatter pattern to reconstruct the crime.
Variants and Related Words
Splattery (adj): Having the characteristics of a splatter; messy with scattered liquid.
- The splattery effect was hard to clean up.
Splat (noun/verb): An informal, onomatopoeic word for the sound or action of something wet hitting a surface flatly. Often used interchangeably with "splatter" but can imply a single, heavier impact.
- The bug hit the windshield with a loud splat.
Synonyms
- Spatter: To scatter small drops. (Very similar, often used interchangeably).
- Splash: To cause a liquid to fly about in drops, often in a more energetic or larger-scale way.
- Dab: A small, quick application of a soft substance (for the noun form meaning a small quantity).
Related Phrasal Verbs/Phrases
- Splatter on/over/against: Used with prepositions to indicate the target or surface.
- The mud splattered on my new shoes.
- The waves splattered against the sea wall.
Related Idioms
- No common idioms are exclusively formed with "splatter." Its usage is typically literal, describing the physical action or result.
Noun
- a small quantity of something moist or liquid
- a dab of paint
- a splatter of mud
- just a splash of whiskey
- the noise of something spattering or sputtering explosively
- he heard a spatter of gunfire
Verb
- dash a liquid upon or against
- The mother splashed the baby's face with water
- cause or allow (a liquid substance) to run or flow from a container
- spill the milk
- splatter water