patter

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈpætə/
• Rhymes: -ætə(r)

1610s, pat +‎ -er (“frequentative (indicating repeated action)”),[1] of (onomatopoeia) origin.

patter (plural patters)

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.

   • 1907, Harold Bindloss, chapter 7, in The Dust of Conflict‎:

     The patter of feet, and clatter of strap and swivel, seemed to swell into a bewildering din, but they were almost upon the fielato offices, where the carretera entered the town, before a rifle flashed.

• pattersome
• pitter-patter

patter (third-person singular simple present patters, present participle pattering, simple past and past participle pattered)

1. To make irregularly repeated sounds of low-to-moderate magnitude and lower-than-average pitch.

   The bullets pattered into the log-cabin walls.

   • Thomson

     The stealing shower is scarce to patter heard.

2. To spatter; to sprinkle.
   • J. R. Drake

     Patter the water about the boat.

Circa 1400, from paternoster (“the Lord's prayer”),[1] possibly influenced by imitative sense (above), Latin pater (“father”), from Proto-Indo-European *ph₂tḗr.

Noun attested 1758, originally referring to the cant of thieves and beggers.[1]

patter (countable and uncountable, plural patters)

1. Glib and rapid speech, such as from an auctioneer, or banter during a sports event.
   • 1887, Gilbert and Sullivan, "My Eyes Are Fully Open", Ruddigore

     This particularly rapid, unintelligible patter isn't generally heard, and if it is it doesn't matter.

• Glasgow patter

patter (third-person singular simple present patters, present participle pattering, simple past and past participle pattered)

1. To speak in such a way – glibly and rapidly, such as from an auctioneer, or when bantering during a sports event.
   • Mayhew

     I've gone out and pattered to get money.

pat +‎ -er (“agent”)

patter (plural patters)

1. One who pats.
   • 1981, Jackie Cooper, ‎Richard Kleiner, Please Shoot Dog (page 50)

     I used to hate head patters, and I have realized that all children dislike being patted on the head.

• Pratte, p'tater