Sprinkle

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: sprin=kle

CIDE DICTIONARY

Sprinkle, v. t. [OE. sprenkelen, freq. of sprengen to sprinkle, to scatter, AS. sprengan, properly, to make to spring, causative of springan to spring; akin to D. sprenkelen to sprinkle, G. sprengen. See Spring, v. i., and cf. Sprent.].

•  To scatter in small drops or particles, as water, seed, etc.  [1913 Webster]
•  To scatter on; to disperse something over in small drops or particles; to besprinkle; as, to sprinkle the earth with water; to sprinkle a floor with sand.  [1913 Webster]
•  To baptize by the application of a few drops, or a small quantity, of water; hence, to cleanse; to purify.  [1913 Webster]

  "Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience."  [1913 Webster]

Sprinkle, v. i. 

•  To scatter a liquid, or any fine substance, so that it may fall in particles.  [1913 Webster]

  "And the priest shall . . . sprinkle of the oil with his finger seven times before the Lord."  [1913 Webster]
•  To rain moderately, or with scattered drops falling now and then; as, it sprinkles.  [1913 Webster]
•  To fly or be scattered in small drops or particles.  [1913 Webster]

Sprinkle, n. 

•  A small quantity scattered, or sparsely distributed; a sprinkling.  [1913 Webster]
•  A utensil for sprinkling; a sprinkler.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Sprinkle, v. & n.
--v.tr.
1 scatter (liquid, ashes, crumbs, etc.) in small drops or particles.
2 (often foll. by with) subject (the ground or an object) to sprinkling with liquid etc.
3 (of liquid etc.) fall on in this way.
4 distribute in small amounts.
--n. (usu. foll. by of)
1 a light shower.
2 = SPRINKLING.

Etymology

ME, perh. f. MDu. sprenkelen

THESAURUS

Sprinkle

Scotch mist, asperge, asperse, band, baptize, bar, bedew, bespangle, bespatter, bespeckle, bespot, besprinkle, blood rain, blotch, bread, check, checker, christen, crumb, dabble, damp, dampen, dapple, dash, dew, dip, dot, douche, dredge, drizzle, drum, dust, evening mist, fall, flake, fleck, flour, flurry, foam, freckle, froth, gout of rain, harlequin, hose, hose down, humect, humectate, humidify, immerse, iris, irrigate, maculate, marble, marbleize, mist, misty rain, mizzle, moisten, moisture, motley, mottle, paddle, patter, pelt, pepper, pimple, pitter-patter, plash, polychrome, polychromize, pour, pour with rain, powder, precipitate, precipitation, rain, rain tadpoles, rainbow, raindrop, rainfall, rainwater, scatter, shake, sheet of rain, shower, shower down, slobber, slop, slosh, spangle, sparge, spatter, speck, speckle, spindrift, spit, splash, splatter, splotch, sponge, spot, spray, spume, stigmatize, stipple, streak, stream, strew, striate, stripe, stud, swash, syringe, tattoo, tessellate, unfrozen hydrometeor, variegate, vein, water, weep, wet, wet down

ROGET THESAURUS

Sprinkle

Addition

VB add, annex, affix, superadd, subjoin, superpose, clap on, saddle on, tack to, append, tag, ingraft, saddle with, sprinkle, introduce, insert, become added, accrue, advene, supervene, reinforce, reenforce, restrengthen, swell the ranks of, augment.

Mixture

VB mix, join, combine, commix, immix, intermix, mix up with, mingle, commingle, intermingle, bemingle, shuffle, pound together, hash up, stir up, knead, brew, impregnate with, interlard, intertwine, interweave, associate with, miscegenate, be mixed, get among, be entangled with, instill, imbue, infuse, suffuse, transfuse, infiltrate, dash, tinge, tincture, season, sprinkle, besprinkle, attemper, medicate, blend, cross, alloy, amalgamate, compound, adulterate, sophisticate, infect.

Dispersion

VB disperse, scatter, sow, broadcast, disseminate, diffuse, shed, spread, bestrew, overspread, dispense, disband, disembody, dismember, distribute, apportion, blow off, let out, dispel, cast forth, draught off, strew, straw, strow, ted, spirtle, cast, sprinkle, issue, deal out, retail, utter, resperse, intersperse, set abroach, circumfuse, turn adrift, cast adrift, scatter to the winds, spread like wildfire, disperse themselves.

Rite

VB perform service, do duty, minister, officiate, baptize, dip, sprinkle, anoint, confirm, lay hands on, give the sacrament, administer the sacrament, administer extreme unction, hear confession, administer holy penance, shrive, excommunicate, ban with bell book and candle, attend services, attend mass, go to mass, hear mass, take the sacrament, receive the sacrament, receive communion, attend the sacrament, partake of the sacrament, partake of communion, communicate, receive extreme unction, confess, go to confession, receive penance, anele, preach, sermonize, predicate, lecture.

Water

VB be watery, reek, add water, water, wet, moisten, dilute, dip, immerse, merge, immerge, submerge, plunge, souse, duck, drown, soak, steep, macerate, pickle, wash, sprinkle, lave, bathe, affuse, splash, swash, douse, drench, dabble, slop, slobber, irrigate, inundate, deluge, syringe, inject, gargle.

Variegation

VB be variegated, variegate, stripe, streak, checker, chequer, bespeckle, speckle, besprinkle, sprinkle, stipple, maculate, dot, bespot, tattoo, inlay, damascene, embroider, braid, quilt.