spat
spat — 名詞
- spatsingular
- spatsplural
1. a brief disagreement between two or more people about a small matter that does n
小爭吵
因小事引發的短暫口角
a brief disagreement between two or more people about a small matter that does not last very long
A spat over parking spaces broke out between the neighbours on Sunday morning.
星期天早上，鄰居之間因為停車位爆發了一場小爭吵。
collocation: spat over [topic]
Tomás and his sister had a brief spat over who should wash the dishes.
Tomás 和妹妹為了輪到誰洗碗而小吵了一架。
What started as a friendly debate turned into a silly spat about movie trivia.
原本友好的討論，最後變成了一場關於電影瑣事的無聊爭吵。
The couple's public spat at the restaurant embarrassed the guests at the next table.
那對情侶在餐廳裡的公開口角，讓隔壁桌的客人很尷尬。
After a spat with the cashier about the change, Selim apologized for raising his voice.
Selim 為了找零的數目和收銀員吵了一架，之後為自己提高音量道了歉。
- quarrel
a more general and slightly more serious disagreement; 'spat' suggests something shorter and less significant
- squabble
similar in meaning to 'spat' but often used for repeated or childish arguments
- tiff
an even milder, more playful disagreement, usually between people who are close
- argument
a broader term that can refer to any verbal disagreement, from minor to serious
2. a fabric or leather cover that fits over the ankle and the upper part of a shoe,
鞋罩
覆蓋腳踝的舊式側扣鞋套
a fabric or leather cover that fits over the ankle and the upper part of a shoe, fastened at the side with buttons — worn mainly by men in the late 19th and early 20th centuries
The antique shop had a dusty pair of white spats owned by a 1920s banker.
那家古董店裡有一雙沾了灰的白色鞋罩，曾經是1920年代一位銀行家的。
usually plural: a pair of spats
In period dramas, characters who wear spats are usually set in the early 1900s.
在時代劇中，穿鞋罩的角色通常背景設定在1900年代初期。
Élise found her grandfather's old spats still buttoned to his formal shoes in the wardrobe.
Élise 在衣櫃深處找到祖父的舊鞋罩，仍然扣在他的正式皮鞋上。
A gentleman's outfit from that era was incomplete without a top hat and white spats.
那個時代的紳士裝扮少不了高頂帽和白色鞋罩。
- gaiters
a similar leg covering that extends higher up the leg than spats
用法筆記
Almost always used in the plural form 'spats'. This item of clothing is now very uncommon in everyday wear and appears mostly in historical contexts, vintage fashion, or period films.
3. a very young shellfish with two hinged shells, especially an oyster that has rec
幼貝
牡蠣等雙殼類的幼體
a very young shellfish with two hinged shells, especially an oyster that has recently settled on a surface and begun to grow
The shellfish farmer collected young spats from the oyster beds near the coast.
貝類養殖戶在海灣沿岸的牡蠣床上收集了幼貝。
domain: shellfish farming
Each spat attaches to a shell or rope and becomes an oyster in two years.
每個幼貝會附著在貝殼或繩索上，兩年內長成一顆牡蠣。
Researchers counted the spats on each underwater tile to measure breeding success.
研究人員統計了每塊水下瓷磚上的幼貝數量，以測量這群牡蠣的繁殖成果。
An adult oyster releases millions of eggs, but only a few survive to become spats.
一顆成年的牡蠣可以釋放數百萬顆卵，但只有極少數能存活成為幼貝。
用法筆記
A technical term used in aquaculture and marine biology. Outside these fields, most English speakers do not recognise this meaning.
spat — 動詞
- spatpresent simple I / you / we / they
- spats3rd person singular
- spatting-ing form
- spattedpast simple
1. past tense and past participle form of the verb spit¹, meaning to force liquid o
過去式
動詞spit的過去式與過去分詞
past tense and past participle form of the verb spit¹, meaning to force liquid or food out from the mouth, or to make a sound like this
The cat spat at the dog when it came too close to her newborn kittens.
那隻貓對著狗發出嘶聲，因為狗太靠近牠剛出生的小貓了。
pattern: spat at [person/animal]
Minho spat out the sour medicine and reached for a glass of water.
Minho 吐掉了酸澀的藥水，然後伸手拿了一杯水。
pattern: spat out [object]
Rain spat against the windows as Ari closed the curtains for the night.
雨水啪嗒啪嗒地打在窗戶上，Ari 拉上窗簾準備睡覺。
Kabir spat the words with such anger that nobody dared to ask another question.
Kabir 滿懷怒氣地吐出那些話，沒有人敢再追問。
The child had spat her food onto the plate because it tasted too salty.
那個孩子把食物吐到盤子裡，因為味道太鹹了。
文法句型
spat + [object]
spat + out + [object]
spat + at + [person/animal]
用法筆記
This is not a separate meaning but the past form of 'spit'. 'Spat' is used for both the simple past ('He spat on the ground') and the past participle ('He has spat on the ground'). In American English, 'spit' as the past form is also accepted but considered less formal.
常見錯誤
2. to argue briefly with someone about a matter that is not important, without the
拌嘴
因小事短暫爭論
to argue briefly with someone about a matter that is not important, without the disagreement lasting long
The two politicians spat at each other during the live television debate over education funding.
兩位政治人物在關於教育經費的直播辯論中互相拌嘴。
pattern: spat with [person] over [topic]
Siblings often spat over small things and then make up again within minutes.
兄弟姐妹常常為小事拌嘴，然後幾分鐘之內又和好了。
Henry spat with his colleague about who should present the team's research at the conference.
Henry 和同事為了誰該在會議上介紹團隊的研究成果而拌嘴。
Neighbours have been spatting over the fence between their gardens for several weeks.
鄰居們為了花園之間的圍籬已經拌嘴好幾個星期了。
Meera and Yael spat briefly about the restaurant bill, then paid half each.
Meera 和 Yael 為了餐廳帳單短暫拌嘴，然後各付一半了事。
文法句型
spat + with [person] + about [topic]
spat + over [topic]
用法筆記
Used when you want to suggest that the argument was short and not deeply serious. The noun form 'spat' (sense 1) is far more common than this verb. In everyday conversation, people rarely use the progressive form 'spatting'.
常見錯誤
3. to hit against a surface in a way that produces a quick, light tapping noise sim
啪嗒拍擊
發出如雨點落下的擊打聲
to hit against a surface in a way that produces a quick, light tapping noise similar to the sound of heavy raindrops falling
The first drops of rain spat against the dusty windowpane of the old farmhouse.
最初的雨點啪嗒啪嗒地打在舊農舍積滿灰塵的窗玻璃上。
pattern: spat against [surface]
Jisoo heard gravel spat against the car as the tyres spun on the loose gravel.
Jisoo 聽到砂礫打到車身的聲音，當時輪胎在鬆散的砂石上空轉。
Hailstones spat across the metal roof of the shed during the storm.
冰雹啪嗒啪嗒地打在暴風雨中棚屋的金屬屋頂上。
Hot oil spat from the pan as the cook dropped in the fish fillets.
廚師把魚片放進油鍋時，熱油從鍋裡濺出來，發出啪嗒聲。
文法句型
spat + against [surface]
spat + [object]
用法筆記
This is a rare and literary sense, most often used in descriptive or poetic writing to convey the sound and movement of small particles (rain, gravel, oil drops) hitting a surface. Not used in everyday conversation.