- smattering
-
noun
Date: 1538
1. superficial piecemeal knowledge <a smattering of carpentry, house painting, bricklaying — Alva Johnston> 2. a small scattered number or amount <a smattering of spectators>
New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.
smattering
Look at other dictionaries:
Smattering — Smat ter*ing, n. A slight, superficial knowledge of something; sciolism. [1913 Webster] I had a great desire, not able to attain to a superficial skill in any, to have some smattering in all. Burton. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
smattering — [n] small amount basics, bit, elements, little, modicum, rudiments, smidge*, smidgen*, soupçon, tad*; concept 831 … New thesaurus
smattering — (also smatter) ► NOUN 1) a small amount. 2) a slight knowledge of a language or subject. ORIGIN from smatter «talk ignorantly» (now only Scots), of unknown origin … English terms dictionary
smattering — [smat′əriŋ] n. [ SMATTER + ING] 1. slight or superficial knowledge 2. a small number … English World dictionary
smattering — n. to acquire, pick up a smattering of (they have picked up a smattering of the language) * * * [ smæt(ə)rɪŋ] pick up a smattering of (they have picked up a smattering of the language) to acquire … Combinatory dictionary
smattering — smat|ter|ing [ˈsmætərıŋ] n [singular] [Date: 1500 1600; Origin: smatter to splash, talk with little knowledge (15 19 centuries)] 1.) a small number or amount of something smattering of ▪ a smattering of applause 2.) have a smattering of sth to… … Dictionary of contemporary English
smattering — noun /ˈsmæ.tə(ɹ).ɪŋ,ˈsmæɾɹ̩ɪŋ/ a) A superficial or shallow knowledge of a subject. She knows a smattering of Greek, but not enough to carry on a conversation. b) A small number or amount of something … Wiktionary
smattering — Synonyms and related words: a little learning, amateurism, cast, coquetry, dabbling, dalliance, dallying, dash, dilettantism, dilettantship, few, fiddling, flirtation, fooling, fooling around, gleam, glimmering, glimpse, half learning, handful,… … Moby Thesaurus
smattering — [[t]smæ̱tərɪŋ[/t]] N SING: usu a N of n A smattering of something is a very small amount of it. I had acquired a pretty competent knowledge of Latin and a smattering of Greek grammar. Syn: modicum … English dictionary
smattering — noun (countable + of) 1 a small number or amount of something: a smattering of rain 2 have a smattering of (not in progressive) to have a small amount of knowledge about a subject, especially a foreign language … Longman dictionary of contemporary English
