patter

Etymology 1
1610s,, of origin.

Noun

 * 1) A soft repeated sound, as of rain falling, or feet walking on a hard surface.
 * I could hear the patter of mice running about in the dark.

Translations

 * Bulgarian: барабанене,
 * Czech: ťukání, pleskání, klapot
 * Dutch:
 * Finnish:
 * German: Trippeln
 * Italian: picchiettio
 * Russian: ,
 * Spanish:
 * Ukrainian: стукіт, тупотіння, дріботіння

Verb

 * 1) To make irregularly repeated sounds of low-to-moderate magnitude and lower-than-average pitch.
 * The bullets pattered into the log-cabin walls.
 * 1) To spatter; to sprinkle.
 * 2) * 1819 (published in 1835), The Culprit Fay
 * Patter the water about the boat.
 * Patter the water about the boat.

Derived terms

 * patter flash

Translations

 * Bulgarian: ,
 * Czech:, bubnovat, pleskat
 * Finnish:
 * Russian:
 * Spanish:
 * Ukrainian:, дріботіти, тарабанити, стукати

Etymology 2
Circa 1400, from, possibly influenced by imitative sense (above), , from.

Noun attested 1758, originally referring to the cant of thieves and beggers.

Noun

 * 1) Glib and rapid speech, such as from an auctioneer or a sports commentator.

Translations

 * Bulgarian: скоропоговорка
 * Czech: žvanění,, řečičky
 * Finnish:
 * German:
 * Portuguese: ,
 * Russian: ,
 * Spanish: ,

Verb

 * 1) To speak glibly and rapidly, as does an auctioneer or a sports commentator.
 * 2)  To repeat the Lord's Prayer.
 * 3)  To pray.
 * 4)  To repeat hurriedly; to mutter.
 * 1)  To repeat hurriedly; to mutter.

Translations

 * Bulgarian:
 * Finnish:
 * German:
 * Hungarian: pörög a nyelve
 * Russian:, говори́ть скорогово́ркой,
 * Spanish:

Noun

 * 1) One who pats.