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Glite Dictionary
to spatter against

to spatter against

6.0
To splash small drops against a surface and make spots
  • phrasal verb
  • /ˈspætər əˈɡɛnst/
translation icon : salpicar contra
  • Blood, hair, and brain are spattered against the church wall.
  • spattered against the window
  • spattered against the windshield
  • raindrops spattered against

Examples

  • The heavier rain had eased, but a steady sprinkle spattered against the windshield.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • Rain slanted out of the evening sky and spattered against the windshield where the humming wipers slapped it away.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • He felt the first raindrop spatter against his face but ignored it.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • There was a grumble of thunder to the east, and the rain broke in a spatter against the long windows that lined the study from floor to ceiling on one side.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • Fish and plantlike drifters spattered against the canopy, were sliced in half by the maneuvering fins, mutilated by the rotors.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • Rain spattered against the window as the storm intensified.

  • Raindrops spattered against his face, making him laugh despite the cold.

  • When the heavy rain began, it spattered against the old roof, creating a soothing rhythm.

Synonyms

to spray
vsto spatter against
209 1.0

To send out small drops of liquid to cover something

involves drops hitting a surface accidentally, not for even coverage
to sprinkle
vsto spatter against
100 1.1

To put small drops of liquid or tiny pieces on something

involves abrupt small drops that make spots and sometimes noise
to splatter
vsto spatter against
51 4.1

To make liquid fall in small messy drops on a surface

focuses on smaller drops that make spots and sometimes noise
to spatter
vsto spatter against
14 5.0

To splash small drops onto a surface and make spots

is the phrasal form that emphasizes direction at a surface
to spatter all over
vsto spatter against
1 5.6

To make drops of liquid hit many places, like clothes or a table

refers to limited drops hitting a surface rather than wide coverage
to plash
vsto spatter against
  • Archaic
9.9

To move water so it hits something and makes drops

describes smaller, spot-making drops rather than a forceful dash
to splunge
vsto spatter against
9.9

To splash liquid messily so it covers nearby things

describes smaller spot-forming splashes rather than broad uncontrolled messes

Antonyms

to absorb
217 3.0

To take in things such as liquid, light, or information

How Wet

to douse
18 4.4
splash
20 1.0
to spatter against
6.0
to sprinkle
100 1.1
to spray
209 1.0

Surface Forms

spatter against infinitive
spattered against past
spattered against past participle
spattering against present participle
spatters against third person singular

Morphology

spatter + against

The verb 'spatter' already denotes scattering liquid in small drops and 'against' indicates contact with a surface; together they transparently mean 'to splash or scatter onto a surface'. This verb + preposition composition follows a common, predictable pattern (similar to 'spray against' or 'splash against'), so a B1 learner who knows the constituents can infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

The verb spatter against comes from the image of small drops, spatter, hitting a surface, against, and making little spots and noise. So, it means 'to splash or scatter in small drops onto a surface'.