smatter

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: smat=ter

CIDE DICTIONARY

smatter, v. i. [OE. smateren to make a noise; cf. Sw. smattra to clatter, to crackle, G. schmettern to dash, crash, to warble, quaver.].

•  To talk superficially or ignorantly; to babble; to chatter.  [1913 Webster]

  "Of state affairs you can not smatter."  [1913 Webster]
•  To have a slight taste, or a slight, superficial knowledge, of anything; to smack.  [1913 Webster]

smatter, v. t. 

•  To talk superficially about.  [1913 Webster]
•  To gain a slight taste of; to acquire a slight, superficial knowledge of; to smack.  Chaucer.  [1913 Webster]

smatter, n. 

 Superficial knowledge; a smattering.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

smatter, n. (also smattering) a slight superficial knowledge of a language or subject.

Derivative

smatterer n.

Etymology

ME smatter talk ignorantly, prate: orig. unkn.

THESAURUS

smatter

babble, burst, cackle, chat, chatter, clack, few, fragment, gab, gas, handful, jaw, pash, prate, prattle, rive, scattering, shiver, smash, smattering, spatter, spattering, splinter, sprinkling