patter

About 0.43 uses per million words.

Meaning

1. noun 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.

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

   The bullets pattered into the log-cabin walls.

3. verb To spatter; to sprinkle.
4. noun Glib and rapid speech, such as from an auctioneer, a stage magician, a sports commentator, or a salesperson with a slick style of selling.

   sales patter

5. verb To speak glibly and rapidly, as does an auctioneer or a sports commentator.
6. verb To repeat the Lord's Prayer.
7. verb To pray.
8. verb To repeat hurriedly; to mutter.

Similar words

pitter-patter spatter sprinkle spiel spit line of gab pitter pitterpatter pitty-pat tread

Often followed by

of n and on about in song that to

Word family

pattered patterer patterers pattering patters