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Patter   /pˈætər/   Listen
noun
Patter  n.  
1.
A quick succession of slight sounds; as, the patter of rain; the patter of little feet.
2.
Glib and rapid speech; a voluble harangue.
3.
The cant of a class; patois; as, thieves's patter; gypsies' patter.
4.
The language or oratory of a street peddler, conjurer, or the like, hence, glib talk; a voluble harangue; mere talk; chatter; also, specif., rapid speech, esp. as sometimes introduced in songs. (Cant or Colloq.)


verb
Patter  v. t.  
1.
To spatter; to sprinkle. (R.) "And patter the water about the boat."
2.
To mutter; as prayers. "(The hooded clouds) patter their doleful prayers."
To patter flash, to talk in thieves' cant. (Slang)


Patter  v. i.  (past & past part. pattered; pres. part. pattering)  
1.
To strike with a quick succession of slight, sharp sounds; as, pattering rain or hail; pattering feet. "The stealing shower is scarce to patter heard."
2.
To mutter; to mumble; as, to patter with the lips.
3.
To talk glibly; to chatter; to harangue. (Colloq.) "I've gone out and pattered to get money."





Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48


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"Patter" Quotes from Famous Books



... left hand was bandaged and a wet cloth lay across his closed eyes. A window was open and the lowered shade billowed softly up and down, letting into the darkened room quick splashes of sunlight. From without came the cheerful patter of melting snow upon ...
— The New Boy at Hilltop • Ralph Henry Barbour
... answer, a patter of hoofs caused him to turn, as Dorothy slipped from Gypsy's bare back and ran toward him. She stumbled when she had almost reached him, and he ...
— Hidden Gold • Wilder Anthony
... them tired enough to go to bed early, but it was hardly eight o'clock when the rain-drops began to patter on ...
— Harper's Young People, May 18, 1880 - An Illustrated Weekly • Various
... of the pitch stone-bed immediately above it seem perilously hanging in mid air; and along their sides there trickles, in even the driest summer weather,—for the Scuir is a condenser on an immense scale—minute runnels of water, that patter ceaselessly in front of the long deep hollow, like rain from the eaves of a cottage during a thunder shower. Inside, however, all is dry, and the floor is covered to the depth of several inches with the dung of sheep and cattle, that find, in this singular ...
— The Cruise of the Betsey • Hugh Miller
... simple instructions will not need to be told that the whole success of the exhibition depends upon the absolute failure of the audience to understand that there is more than one concerned in bringing about the curious effects which are seen. The exhibitor should be a boy who can talk; a good "patter"—as the magicians call it—is often of more value than a whole host of mechanical effects and helpers. It is essential that the exhibitor and his confederate be well drilled, so that the latter can produce the proper effects at ...
— The Boy Mechanic: Volume 1 - 700 Things For Boys To Do • Popular Mechanics


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