tatter

plural tatters

1. A shred of torn cloth; an individual item of torn and ragged clothing.

   You can’t – you shan’t – you don’t – you won’t – you thing of rag and tatter, O!

   1896, “Well You're a Pretty Kind of Fellow”, William S. Gilbert (lyrics), Sir Arthur Sullivan (music)

present singular third person tatters · participle present tattering · participle past tattered · past tattered

1. transitiveTo destroy an article of clothing etc. by shredding.
2. intransitiveTo fall into tatters.

plural tatters

1. A person engaged in tatting.

present singular third person tatters · participle present tattering · participle past tattered · past tattered

1. IrelanddialectalTo go at great speed.

   “Well, away they wint tattherin’ along the road, makin’ the fire fly out o’ the stones at no rate. So whin I seen they'd no eyes, I knew it was onpossible they could ivir see me, so up I got out o’ the ditch, and afther thim wid me along the road as fast as ivir I culd lay fut to ground.”

   1850, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, London: H.G. Bohn, page 520