MEANING
To make a quick succession of light tapping sounds.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- rain patters
- drops patter
- patter on leaves
On the page
Rain pattered on the broad leaves.
Drops pattered into the pool beneath the branch.
The sleet pattered against the rock like thrown grains.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- patter / patters
- Past tense
- pattered
- Past participle
- pattered
- Present participle
- pattering
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- patter / patters
- Present continuous
- am/is/are pattering
- Present perfect
- have/has pattered
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been pattering
- Past
- pattered
- Past continuous
- was/were pattering
- Past perfect
- had pattered
- Past perfect continuous
- had been pattering
- Future
- will patter / patters
- Future continuous
- will be pattering
- Future perfect
- will have pattered
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been pattering
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
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Usage notes
Primary category: environment. Emphasizes repeated small impacts rather than a continuous rushing noise; also a noun. Verb [base, third-person, past, past participle, -ing]: patter, patters, pattered, pattered, pattering.
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