Crossword clues for sputtering
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Sputter \Sput"ter\ (sp[u^]t"t[~e]r), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Sputtered (-t[~e]rd); p. pr. & vb. n. Sputtering.] [From the root of spout or spit to eject from the mouth. Cf. Splutter.]
To spit, or to emit saliva from the mouth in small, scattered portions, as in rapid speaking.
-
To utter words hastily and indistinctly; to speak so rapidly as to emit saliva.
They could neither of them speak their rage, and so fell a sputtering at one another, like two roasting apples.
--Congreve. -
To throw out anything, as little jets of steam, with a noise like that made by one sputtering.
Like the green wood . . . sputtering in the flame.
--Dryden.
Wiktionary
n. A noise that sputters. vb. (present participle of sputter English)
WordNet
adj. emitting or making sporadic spitting or popping sounds; "the sputtering engine"; "spluttering electric arcs" [syn: spluttering]
n. the noise of something spattering or sputtering explosively; "he heard a spatter of gunfire" [syn: spatter, spattering, splatter, splattering, sputter, splutter]
Wikipedia
Sputtering is a process whereby particles are ejected from a solid target material due to bombardment of the target by energetic particles, particularly, in the laboratory, gas ions. It only happens when the kinetic energy of the incoming particles is much higher than conventional thermal energies ( ≫ 1 eV). This process can lead, during prolonged ion or plasma bombardment of a material, to significant erosion of materials, and can thus be harmful. On the other hand, it is commonly utilized for thin-film deposition, etching and analytical techniques.
Usage examples of "sputtering".
Ineptly smothering his own sputtering guffaws, Joe frantically thrust up his hands, again wiggling the fingertips for silence.
At last I broke the surface, sputtering and coughing, so weak I could barely swim to shore.
In the perimeter lights I saw dozens of diminutive men and women in black pajamas scurrying about, white stars sputtering from the muzzles of their weapons.
Tanalasta burst into fresh tears, a short shower that ended in a lopsided, sputtering smile.
She rode his legs, and with brutal efficiency drove the drill bit through his kneecap, the drill whining and sputtering, bringing up flakes of white bone, and black blood, driving it in until the drill chuck touched his jeans.
He shook some of the soap under the sputtering pump, swirled the cold water to make suds.
Isaac and Yagharek, and stepped out of the darkened alley into the sputtering firelight in front of the houses.
Leroy was sputtering in excitement, and the Martian kept his vicious beak directed at us, so I stepped forward as peace-maker.
Across the sand, clear for an instant against the white ground coral of the beach, the figure of the small devil with the half-human posture showed, and a malevolent sputtering snarl sounded.
A vehicle went sputtering and popping by on the road as they kowtowed.
Wires came sputtering out like aroused vipers, hissing blue-green sparks.
Settling a sputtering Louisa behind her, she turned to Roderick, who came bounding out of the greenery looking for a fight.
They had easily skirted--unnoticed--two patrols huddled around sputtering fires.
He looked down and found silver fire raging and sputtering around him, spilling restlessly out of his stomach along with something pale, bloody, and ropy that must be his own innards.
Dripping, sputtering, and largely ignored, Laquatus fell in behind her.