Definition of Sputter
Sputter
sput·ter
Definition/Meaning
(verb)
to make a soft, explosive sound similar to spitting or squirting, or to make a series of such sounds, often using the mouth;
e.g. His joke caused her to sputter and spit out her water.
(verb)
to speak hastily or incoherently and often in bursts, due to some strong emotion such as excitement or confusion;
e.g. He could only sputter in rage, being too angry to form complete sentences.
(verb)
to occur in a feeble or erratic way (in short bursts), often accompanied by popping or explosive noises;
e.g. The car began to jolt and sputter to a halt.
(verb)
in physics, to deposit metal ions onto a surface in order to coat the surface using a spray of fast and high-energy ions or particles;
e.g. They plan to sputter the sheet with zinc to form a protective coating.
(noun)
a soft explosive or popping sound, a series of such sounds, or the action of making such sounds;
e.g. The engine gave a sputter before shutting off.
(noun)
speech or discussion that is excited and/or confused;
e.g. I heard the sputter of voices in the room.
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