patter• He liked rain in September, its calmgraypattering.• I could hearfeetshuffling and pattering about upstairs.• A small fountainpattered gently in the bigreceptionhall.• They could hear the rain pattering in the grass and bouncing off the roof of the jeep.• Outside the rain pattered lightly on the window, and in the room there was a great sense of tranquillity.• There was a sound of stir all over the house, pattering of feet in the corridors.• Raindrops were pattering on the car roof.• A few raindrops patter on the roof.• It pattered quietly in the distance, each small wave softly succeeding the next.• And the old fountain, now green with moss and algae, made a sweet, pattering sound.
patter on• Rain pattered on the tin roof of the shack.
1[singular]CHIT the sound made by something as it keeps hitting a surface lightly and quickly 急速的轻拍声
patter of
the patter of footsteps
啪嗒啪嗒的脚步声
the pitter-patter of raindrops
噼噼啪啪的雨声
2[singular, uncountableU]TALK TO somebodyfast, continuous, and usually amusing talk, used by someone telling jokes or trying to sell something 〔讲笑话等时的〕快板,顺口溜;〔推销物品时〕一口气说出的话
It’s difficult to look at the cars without getting the sales patter.
看汽车时难免要听推销员的那套话。
3the patter of tiny feetBABY/HAVE A BABYused humorously to mean that someone is going to have a baby 将要有小宝宝了〔幽默用法〕
Are we going to hear the patter of tiny feet?
我们要有小宝宝了吗?
Examples from the Corpus
the patter of tiny feet• Are we going to hearthe patter of tiny feet?
Examples from the Corpus
patter• Paula Curry was good at hidingdiscomfortbehindeasypatter, but the strain was starting to tell.• My thoughtswandered as the tourguide began his patter.• The tour guide begins his patter on Forty-sixth.• While you are doing this trick it's a good idea to invent a little patter.• a salesman's patter• As I hurried I heard the scrabblingpatter of the wolves closing in.• the patter of mice in the attic• It was drizzling very lightly, and I could hear the tinypatter of small raindrops.• Dennis was knocking the stuff back like lager, not even bothering with his usualpatter.
ADVERB | PREPOSITIONADVERB➤gently, lightly, softly急速輕輕拍打;輕柔地急拍▸➤down啪嗒啪嗒落下◇The rain pattered down softly.雨水啪嗒啪嗒地輕輕落下。PREPOSITION➤across啪嗒啪嗒地跑過◇Footsteps pattered across the floor.地板上有啪嗒啪嗒的腳步聲跑過。➤against啪嗒啪嗒地打在⋯上▸➤along以輕快的腳步沿着⋯跑◇The child's feet pattered along the landing.孩子啪嗒啪嗒地跑過樓梯平台。➤on敲打在⋯上◇Rain pattered lightly on the window.雨水輕輕敲打窗戶。