From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishspatspat1 /spæt/ x-refthe past tense and past participle of spit1spatspat2 noun [countable] 1 informalARGUE a short unimportant quarrel a marital spat2 → spats
Examples from the Corpus
spat• This is all a spat between Fidel and that one over there.• The girls were having a spat in the back of the car over who got to use the armrest.• Fritz Juventi from the Valenzuela Perseverance, looking not a day older in his tricorn and spats.• More and more, we are drawn to the divisive spat at the expense of the thoughtful insight.• It was just a little spat over who did the dishes last.• Walter said what happened between him and Marian was just a lovers' spat.• That evening Uncle Allen bought a pair of spats and put $ 5 down on a black overcoat with a velvet collar.• Hell, we still have our spats.• The clash is expected to be resolved via government pressure and the spat is more sound than substance, say analysts.Origin spat2 1. (1800-1900) Perhaps from the sound of a blow. 2. (1800-1900) spatterdash “spat” ((17-20 centuries)), from spatter + dash 