Definition

1. Verb:

   • To speak in a rapid, confused, and explosive manner: To utter words with spitting sounds, often due to strong emotion, choking, or a speech impediment.
   • To make a series of short, explosive spitting or popping sounds: To emit a noise like something spattering or frying, often from a liquid or an engine.

2. Noun:

   • An act or sound of spluttering: An utterance made with spitting sounds, or the noise of something sputtering.

Examples of Usage

• Verb:

  • He was so angry he could only splutter a reply. (He was so angry he could only speak in a rapid, explosive manner.)
  • The old engine spluttered and died. (The old engine made a series of popping sounds and stopped.)
  • She spluttered on her drink. (She choked on her drink, causing it to be expelled with a spitting sound.)

• Noun:

  • His speech was a series of incoherent splutters. (His speech consisted of rapid, confused utterances.)
  • We heard the splutter of frying bacon. (We heard the spitting sound of bacon frying.)

Advanced Usage

• "to splutter out": To say something in a rapid, choked, or explosive manner.
  • He finally spluttered out an apology. (He finally managed to utter an apology in a choked, explosive way.)

Variants and Related Words

• Sputter: This is a very close synonym and is often used interchangeably with "splutter," especially regarding sounds from engines or liquids. The distinction is subtle; "splutter" can imply more liquid or saliva.
  • The candle sputtered in the draft. (The candle made a series of soft explosive sounds.)

Synonyms

• Verb: Stammer, stutter, choke, sputter, spit.
• Noun: Spatter, sputter, stammering.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Splutter out: (See "Advanced Usage" above). To eject or utter something with spluttering sounds.
  • The car spluttered out a cloud of black smoke. (The car emitted a cloud of black smoke with a sputtering noise.)

Related Idioms

• No specific idioms are predominantly formed with "splutter." The word itself often describes the action within a situation, such as "splutter with indignation" or "splutter into life" (for an engine).

Noun

1. an utterance (of words) with spitting sounds (as in rage)
2. the noise of something spattering or sputtering explosively
   • he heard a spatter of gunfire

Verb

1. spit up in an explosive manner
2. utter with a spitting sound, as if in a rage