verb / noun
sputter
SPUT-er/ˈspʌtər/
Short, irregular bursts of sound or activity.
The old engine sputters for a moment before running smoothly.
Etymology
Early sputter meant emitting small amounts or flashes and spitting with explosive sounds. That recorded sense supplies the image behind irregular popping noises, even though the evidence does not establish an attested ancestral form.
In context
The calcium light ceased to sputter.
More examples
- A brief sputter from the faucet interrupts the silence.
- The candle flame sputters in the draft.
- The recovery sputters as businesses struggle to find workers.
Forms
sputter · sputters · sputtered · sputtering