patter

Word family

pat·ter1 /ˈpætə $ -ər/ verb [intransitiveI]

CHITif something, especially water, patters, it makes quiet sounds as it keeps hitting a surface lightly and quickly 发出急速的轻拍声

patter on

rain pattering on the window panes

啪嗒啪嗒敲打窗玻璃的雨

Examples from the Corpus

patter• He liked rain in September, its calm gray pattering.• I could hear feet shuffling and pattering about upstairs.• A small fountain pattered gently in the big reception hall.• 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.

Related topics: Colours & sounds

patter2 noun

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 somebody fast, 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。

3 the patter of tiny feet BABY/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 hear the patter of tiny feet?

Examples from the Corpus

patter• Paula Curry was good at hiding discomfort behind easy patter, but the strain was starting to tell.• My thoughts wandered as the tour guide 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 scrabbling patter of the wolves closing in.• the patter of mice in the attic• It was drizzling very lightly, and I could hear the tiny patter of small raindrops.• Dennis was knocking the stuff back like lager, not even bothering with his usual patter.

patter of• the patter of raindrops

Origin patter1

(1600-1700) → PAT2

patter2

1. (1800-1900) → PATTER1

2. (1700-1800) paternoster name of a Christian prayer ((9-21 centuries))

pat·ter1 verbpatter2 noun

Chinese

Syllable

Corpus