scatter
Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Financial, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
scat·ter
(skăt′ər)v. scat·tered, scat·ter·ing, scat·ters
v.tr.
1. To cause to separate and go in different directions: a dog scattering a flock of pigeons.
2.
a. To distribute (something) loosely; strew: Books were scattered across the floor.
b. To strew something over (a surface): The field was scattered with rocks.
3. To diffuse or deflect (radiation or particles).
4. Baseball To allow (hits or walks) in small numbers over several innings. Used of a pitcher.
v.intr.
To separate and go in different directions; disperse: The crowd scattered when it started to rain.
n.
1. The act of scattering or the condition of being scattered.
2. Something scattered: "Outside of Paris, in the middle of a large field, was a scatter of brick buildings" (Lorrie Moore).
[Middle English scateren, perhaps from northern dialectal alteration of Old English *sceaterian.]
scat′ter·er n.
Synonyms: scatter, disperse, dissipate, dispel
These verbs mean to cause a mass or aggregate to separate and go in different directions. Scatter refers to loose or haphazard distribution of components: "He had scattered the contents of the table-drawer in his search for a sheet of paper" (Edith Wharton).
Disperse implies the complete breaking up of the mass or aggregate: "only a few industrious Scots perhaps, who indeed are dispersed over the face of the whole earth" (George Chapman).
Dissipate suggests a reduction to nothing: "The main of life is ... composed ... of meteorous pleasures which dance before us and are dissipated" (Samuel Johnson).
Dispel suggests driving away or off by or as if by scattering: "But he ... with high words ... gently raised / Their fainting courage, and dispelled their fears" (John Milton).
These verbs mean to cause a mass or aggregate to separate and go in different directions. Scatter refers to loose or haphazard distribution of components: "He had scattered the contents of the table-drawer in his search for a sheet of paper" (Edith Wharton).
Disperse implies the complete breaking up of the mass or aggregate: "only a few industrious Scots perhaps, who indeed are dispersed over the face of the whole earth" (George Chapman).
Dissipate suggests a reduction to nothing: "The main of life is ... composed ... of meteorous pleasures which dance before us and are dissipated" (Samuel Johnson).
Dispel suggests driving away or off by or as if by scattering: "But he ... with high words ... gently raised / Their fainting courage, and dispelled their fears" (John Milton).
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
scatter
(ˈskætə)vb
1. (tr) to throw about in various directions; strew
2. to separate and move or cause to separate and move in various directions; disperse
3. (General Physics) to deviate or cause to deviate in many directions, as in the diffuse reflection or refraction of light
n
4. the act of scattering
5. a substance or a number of objects scattered about
[C13: probably a variant of shatter]
ˈscatterable adj
ˈscatterer n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
scat•ter
(ˈskæt ər)v.t.
1. to throw loosely about: to scatter seeds.
2. to cause to disperse: to scatter a crowd.
3. Physics. to diffuse or deflect (a wave or beam of radiation) by collision with particles of the medium it traverses.
v.i. 4. to separate and disperse.
n. 5. the act of scattering.
6. something that is scattered.
[1125–75; Middle English scateren; compare Middle Dutch, Dutch schateren to burst out laughing]
scat′ter•a•ble, adj.
scat`ter•a′tion, n.
scat′ter•er, n.
syn: scatter, dispel, disperse, dissipate imply separating and driving something away so that its original form disappears. To scatter is to separate something tangible into parts at random and drive these in different directions: The wind scattered leaves all over the lawn. To dispel is to drive away or scatter usu. intangible things so that they vanish: Your explanation has dispelled my doubts. To disperse is usu. to cause a compact or organized tangible body to separate or scatter in different directions, to be reassembled if desired: Tear gas dispersed the mob. To dissipate is usu. to scatter by dissolving or reducing to small atoms or parts that cannot be reunited: He dissipated his money and his energy in useless activities.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
Scatter
a scattering; a small amount or number. See also sprinkling.Examples: scatter of diamonds and pearls, 1888; of granite, 1859.
Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
scatter
Past participle: scattered
Gerund: scattering
| Imperative |
|---|
| scatter |
| scatter |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  scatter - a haphazard distribution in all directionsdispersion, distribution - the spatial or geographic property of being scattered about over a range, area, or volume; "worldwide in distribution"; "the distribution of nerve fibers"; "in complementary distribution" diffuseness - the spatial property of being spread out over a wide area or through a large volume |
| 2. |  scatter - the act of scattering | |
| Verb | 1. | scatter - to cause to separate and go in different directions; "She waved her hand and scattered the crowds" disband - cause to break up or cease to function; "the principal disbanded the political student organization" |
| 2. | scatter - move away from each other; "The crowds dispersed"; "The children scattered in all directions when the teacher approached"; aerosolise, aerosolize - become dispersed as an aerosol; "the bacteria quickly aerosolised" break - scatter or part; "The clouds broke after the heavy downpour" volley - be dispersed in a volley; "gun shots volleyed at the attackers" | |
| 3. | scatter - distribute loosely; "He scattered gun powder under the wagon" spray - scatter in a mass or jet of droplets; "spray water on someone"; "spray paint on the wall" spray - be discharged in sprays of liquid; "Water sprayed all over the floor" spatter, splatter, plash, swash, splash, splosh - dash a liquid upon or against; "The mother splashed the baby's face with water" splash, sprinkle, splosh - cause (a liquid) to spatter about, especially with force; "She splashed the water around her" discharge - pour forth or release; "discharge liquids" bespangle - dot or sprinkle with sparkling or glittering objects aerosolize, aerosolise - disperse as an aerosol; "The bacteria suspension was aerosolized" | |
| 4. |  scatter - sow by scattering; "scatter seeds" | |
| 5. | scatter - cause to separate; "break up kidney stones"; "disperse particles" change integrity - change in physical make-up backscatter - scatter (radiation) by the atoms of the medium through which it passes | |
| 6. |  scatter - strew or distribute over an area; "He spread fertilizer over the lawn"; "scatter cards across the table"pass around, circulate, distribute, pass on - cause be distributed; "This letter is being circulated among the faculty" circumfuse - spread something around something distribute - spread throughout a given area; "the function distributes the values evenly" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
scatter
verb
1. throw about, spread, sprinkle, strew, broadcast, shower, fling, litter, sow, diffuse, disseminate He began by scattering seed and putting in plants.
throw about collect, gather
throw about collect, gather
2. disperse, separate, break up, dispel, disband, dissipate, go their separate ways, disunite, go in different directions, put to flight After dinner, everyone scattered.
disperse assemble, converge, congregate, unite, rally, gather
disperse assemble, converge, congregate, unite, rally, gather
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
scatter
verb3. To extend over a wide area:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
يَنتَشِريَنْثُر
rozházetrozptýlit
sprede
sirottaa
szétoszlik
dreifast; tvístrasttvístra; dreifa
撒く播く散らかす散らす散らばる
išbirtiišblaškyti į visas pusesišsibarstęsišsiblaškėlispabiras
izkliedētizklīstizmētātizsvaidīt
razbežati seraztresti
sprida
rastgele dağıtmak/dağılmaksaçmak
scatter
[ˈskætəʳ]A. VT
1. (= strew around) [+ crumbs, papers etc] → esparcir, desparramar; [+ seeds] → sembrar a voleo, esparcir
the flowers were scattered about on the floor → las flores estaban desparramadas por el suelo
the floor was scattered with flowers → en el suelo había flores desparramadas
the flowers were scattered about on the floor → las flores estaban desparramadas por el suelo
the floor was scattered with flowers → en el suelo había flores desparramadas
2. (= disperse) [+ clouds] → dispersar; [+ crowd] → dispersar
her relatives are scattered about the world → sus familiares se encuentran dispersos por el mundo
her relatives are scattered about the world → sus familiares se encuentran dispersos por el mundo
B. VI [crowd] → dispersarse
the family scattered to distant parts → la familia se dispersó por lugares alejados
the family scattered to distant parts → la familia se dispersó por lugares alejados
C. N (Math, Tech) → dispersión f
a scatter of houses → unas casas dispersas
a scatter of raindrops → unas gotas dispersas de lluvia
a scatter of houses → unas casas dispersas
a scatter of raindrops → unas gotas dispersas de lluvia
D. CPD scatter cushions NPL → almohadones mpl
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
scatter
[ˈskætər] vt
[+ petals, confetti] → éparpiller, répandre
(= disperse) [+ crowd] → disperser
vi → se disperser
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
scatter
n = scattering
vt
(= distribute at random) → verstreuen; seeds, gravel → streuen (→ on, onto auf +acc); (Phys) light → streuen (→ on, onto auf +acc); money → verschleudern; (= not group together) → (unregelmäßig) verteilen; votes → verteilen (→ between auf +acc); to scatter something around or about → etw überall umherstreuen or verstreuen; to scatter something with something → etw mit etw bestreuen; she knocked the table over, scattering papers all over the room → sie stieß den Tisch um, und die Papiere flogen durch das ganze Zimmer
scatter
:scatterbrain
n (inf) → Schussel m (inf)
scatterbrained
adj (inf) → schuss(e)lig (inf), → zerfahren, flatterhaft
scatter cushion
n → (Sofa)kissen nt
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
scatter
(ˈskӕtə) verb1. to (make) go or rush in different directions. The sudden noise scattered the birds; The crowds scattered when the bomb exploded.
2. to throw loosely in different directions. The load from the overturned lorry was scattered over the road.
ˈscattered adjective occasional; not close together. Scattered showers are forecast for this morning; The few houses in the valley are very scattered.
ˈscattering noun a small amount scattered here and there. a scattering of sugar.
ˈscatterbrain noun a forgetful or unreliable person.
ˈscatterbrained adjectiveKernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
scat·ter
v. esparcir, diseminar; dispersar, desparramar.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012