scatter

¹scat·ter

verb \ˈska-tər\

Definition of SCATTER

transitive verb

1

a : to cause to separate widely

b : to cause to vanish

2

archaic : to fling away heedlessly : squander

3

: to distribute irregularly

4

: to sow by casting in all directions : strew

5

a : to reflect irregularly and diffusely

b : to cause (a beam of radiation) to diffuse or disperse

6

: to divide into ineffectual small portions

intransitive verb

1

: to separate and go in various directions : disperse

2

: to occur or fall irregularly or at random

— scat·ter·er \-tər-ər\ noun

Examples of SCATTER

1. The wind scattered the pile of leaves.
2. The marbles scattered across the floor.
3. She scattered the books on the table.
4. He scatters his toys all around the house.

Origin of SCATTER

Middle English scateren, schateren to disperse, break up, destroy; akin to Middle Dutch schaderen to scatter

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to SCATTER

Synonyms

clear out, disband, dispel, disperse, dissipate, squander

Antonyms

assemble, cluster, collect, concentrate, congregate, gather, ingather

Related Words

break up, isolate, part, segregate, separate, split (up); diffuse, disseminate, diverge, spread

Near Antonyms

agglutinate, conglomerate; unify, unite

Synonym Discussion of SCATTER

scatter, disperse, dissipate, dispel mean to cause to separate or break up. scatter implies a force that drives parts or units irregularly in many directions <the bowling ball scattered the pins>. disperse implies a wider separation and a complete breaking up of a mass or group <police dispersed the crowd>. dissipate stresses complete disintegration or dissolution and final disappearance <the fog was dissipated by the morning sun>. dispel stresses a driving away or getting rid of as if by scattering <an authoritative statement that dispelled all doubt>.

Rhymes with SCATTER

attar, batter, blatter, chatter, clatter, flatter, hatter, latter, matter, natter, patter, plaiter, platter, ratter, shatter, smatter, spatter, splatter, tatter

²scatter

noun

Definition of SCATTER

1

: the act of scattering

2

: a small quantity or number irregularly distributed or strewn about : scattering

3

: the state or extent of being scattered; especially : dispersion

Examples of SCATTER

1. <played before only a scatter of spectators in that huge stadium>

First Known Use of SCATTER

1642

Related to SCATTER

Synonyms

couple, handful, few, scattering, smatter, smattering, sprinkle, sprinkling

Antonyms

army, crowd, flock, gazillion, horde, host, jillion, kazillion, legion, loads, many, mountain, multitude, oodles, scads, thousands, zillion

Related Words

minority; atom, crumb, fragment, grain, iota, jot, modicum, molecule, particle, scrap, shred, tittle, whit

Near Antonyms

majority, most; abundance, excess, plenty, surplus; deal, gobs, heap, lot, mass, much, peck, pile, plenitude, plenty, pot, profusion, quantity, raft, reams, slather, slew, stack, wad, wealth

Rhymes with SCATTER

batter, chatter, clatter, flatter, matter, natter, patter, plaiter, shatter, smatter, spatter, splatter, tatter