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View synonyms for

scat

1

[ skat ]

verb (used without object)

Informal.
scatted, scatting.
  1. to go off hastily (often used in the imperative).


scat

2

[ skat ]

verb (used without object)

scatted, scatting.
  1. to sing by making full or partial use of the technique of scat singing, in which the singer substitutes improvised nonsense syllables for the words of a song.

noun

  1. scat singing.

scat

3

[ skat ]

noun

  1. the excrement of a wild animal.

scat

4

[ skat ]

noun

Slang.

scat

5
or scatt

[ skat ]

noun

  1. (in the Shetland and Orkney Islands) a crown tax, as for use of common lands.

scat-

6
  1. variant of scato- before a vowel.

scat

1

/ æ /

verb

  1. informal.
    intr; usually imperative to go away in haste
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

scat

2

/ æ /

noun

  1. a type of jazz singing characterized by improvised vocal sounds instead of words
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. intr to sing jazz in this way
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

scat

3

/ æ /

noun

  1. any marine and freshwater percoid fish of the Asian family Scatophagidae, esp Scatophagus argus, which has a beautiful coloration
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

scat

4

/ æ /

noun

  1. an animal dropping
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of scat1

An Americanism dating back to 1865–70; of uncertain origin

Origin of scat2

First recorded in 1925–30; of uncertain origin

Origin of scat3

First recorded in 1925–30; origin uncertain; compare British dialect (southwestern) scat “to scatter, fling down, bespatter”; Greek skat- (stem of ô “dܲԲ”; scato- ) is an unlikely source, given popular character of the word and unmotivated derivation pattern

Origin of scat4

First recorded in 1945–50; of uncertain origin; compare earlier scat (slang) “whiskey”

Origin of scat5

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Old Norse skattr “tax, treasure”
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Word History and Origins

Origin of scat1

C19: perhaps from a hiss + the word cat, used to frighten away cats

Origin of scat2

C20: perhaps imitative

Origin of scat3

C20: shortened from Scatophagus; see scato-

Origin of scat4

C20: see scato-

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