pat´ter|er

pat|ter¹ «PAT uhr», verb, noun.

–v.i.

1. to make rapid taps: »

The rain patters on a windowpane. Bare feet pattered along the hard floor.

2. to move with a rapid tapping sound: »

to patter across the room.

–v.t.

to make rapid taps on or against; fall on with a rapid tapping: »

The trees would patter me all over with big drops from the rain of the afternoon (Robert Louis Stevenson).

–n.

a series of quick taps or the sound th make: »

the patter of sleet, the patter of little feet.

╂[frequentative form < pat¹]

pat|ter² «PAT uhr», noun, verb.

–n.

1. rapid and easy talk: »

a magician's patter, a salesman's patter.

2. the special vocabulary of a class or group: »

I have more respect for conjurer's patter than for doctor's patter. They are both meant to stupefy (G. K. Chesterton).

SYNONYM(S): jargon, lingo.

3. rapid speech, usually for comic effect, introduced into a new song.

–v.i.

1. to talk rapidly, fluently, or glibly: »

We take the name of God in vain when we patter through prayers in our worship (London Times).

2. Slang. to speak or talk some jargon.

–v.t.

to talk or say rapidly and easily, without much thought: »

to patter a prayer.

╂[apparently variant of Middle English pater, as in paternoster]

–pat´ter|er, noun.