n. [ From the root of spit; hence, literally, that which is ejected. ] A young oyster or other bivalve mollusk, both before and after it first becomes adherent, or such young, collectively. [ 1913 Webster ]

imp. of Spit. [ Obs. or R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Spatted; p. pr. & vb. n. Spatting. ] To slap, as with the open hand; to clap together; as the hands. [ Local, U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Little Isabel leaped up and down, spatting her hands. Judd. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. & t. To emit spawn; to emit, as spawn. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Short for Spatterdash. ] 1. A legging; a gaiter. [ Scot. & Dial. Eng. ] [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. A kind of short cloth or leather gaiter worn over the upper part of the shoe and fastened beneath the instep; -- chiefly in pl. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ Cf. Pat. ] 1. A light blow with something flat. [ U.S. & Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence, a petty combat, esp. a verbal one; a little quarrel, dispute, or dissension. [ U. S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To dispute. [ R. ] Smart. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Zool.) Of or pertaining to the Spatangoidea. -- n. One of the Spatangoidea. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL. See Spatangus, and -oid. ] (Zool.) An order of irregular sea urchins, usually having a more or less heart-shaped shell with four or five petal-like ambulacra above. The mouth is edentulous and situated anteriorly, on the under side. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL., fr. L. spatangius a kind of sea urchin, Gr. &unr_;. ] (Zool.) A genus of heart-shaped sea urchins belonging to the Spatangoidea. [ 1913 Webster ]