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.

   1 more example

   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.

   1907 January, Harold Bindloss, chapter 7, in The Dust of Conflict, 1st Canadian edition, Toronto, Ont.: McLeod & Allen, →OCLC

present singular third person patters · participle present pattering · participle past pattered · past 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.

   1 more example

   The stealing shower […] 'Tis scarce to patter heard.

   a. 1749 (date written), James Thomson, “Spring”, in The Seasons, London: […] A[ndrew] Millar, and sold by Thomas Cadell, […], published 1768, →OCLC

2. To spatter; to sprinkle.

   1819 (published in 1835) Joseph Rodman Drake, The Culprit Fay Patter the water about the boat.

plural patters

1. countableuncountableGlib 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

   4 more examples

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

   1887, Gilbert and Sullivan, “My Eyes Are Fully Open”, in Ruddigore

   Dad, I want to be a jock. All a jock needs is some hep patter and a real gone image. Now, they just don't teach that jazz in college.

   1975, Garry Marshall et al., “Richie's Flip Side”, in Happy Days, season 2, episode 21, spoken by Richie Cunningham (Ron Howard)

   “Did you say the bodies are getting mixed together with the toxic waste?” [sigh] “Now I got to look at the brochure. Yeah, that's what it says.” “By the way, you're really gonna have to work on your patter a little bit.”

   2010 April 7, Kevin Shinick, “Blob Gets Job” (16:32 from the start), in Ugly Americans, season 1, episode 4, spoken by Mark Lilly (Matt Oberg)

   As a young man he [Beppe Grillo] performed with a guitar in local bars, but fans preferred his pre-show patter, and he evolved into a successful stand-up comedian.

   2017, Jamie Bartlett, chapter 5, in Radicals, William Heinemann, →ISBN

present singular third person patters · participle present pattering · participle past pattered · past pattered

1. To speak glibly and rapidly, as does an auctioneer or a sports commentator.

   He showed a little of the pride of art in describing the management of his business, but he would not hear that he “pattered:” he talked to his customers, he declared, as any draper, who knew his business well, might talk to his.

   1851, Henry Mayhew, London Labour and the London Poor; […], volume I (The London Street-folk. Book the First.), London: [George Woodfall], →OCLC, page 379

2. intransitiveobsoleteTo repeat the Lord's Prayer.
3. intransitiveobsoleteTo pray.
4. obsoletetransitiveTo repeat hurriedly; to mutter.

plural patters

1. One who pats.

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

   1981, Jackie Cooper, Richard Kleiner, Please Shoot Dog, page 50