Scat"ter (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Scattered (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Scattering.] [OE. scateren. See Shatter.] 1. To strew about; to
sprinkle around; to throw down loosely; to deposit or place here and
there, esp. in an open or sparse order.
And some are scattered all the floor about.
Chaucer.
Why should my muse enlarge on Libyan swains, Their scattered
cottages, and ample plains?
Dryden.
Teach the glad hours to scatter, as they fly, Soft quiet, gentle
love, and endless joy.
Prior.
2. To cause to separate in different directions; to reduce from a close
or compact to a loose or broken order; to dissipate; to disperse.
Scatter and disperse the giddy Goths.
Shak.
3. Hence, to frustrate, disappoint, and overthrow; as, to scatter
hopes, plans, or the like.
Syn. -- To disperse; dissipate; spread; strew.
Scat"ter, v. i. To be dispersed or dissipated; to disperse or separate;
as, clouds scatter after a storm.
Scat"ter-brain` (?), n. A giddy or thoughtless person; one incapable of
concentration or attention. [Written also scatter-brains.]
Scat"ter-brained` (?), a. Giddy; thoughtless.
Scat"tered (?), a. 1. Dispersed; dissipated; sprinkled, or loosely
spread.
2. (Bot.) Irregular in position; having no regular order; as, scattered
leaves.
-- Scat"tered*ly, adv. -- Scat"tered*ness, n.
Scat"ter*good` (?), n. One who wastes; a spendthrift.
Scat"ter*ing, a. Going or falling in various directions; not united or
aggregated; divided among many; as, scattering votes.
Scat"ter*ing, n. Act of strewing about; something scattered. South.
Scat"ter*ing*ly, adv. In a scattering manner; dispersedly.
Scat"ter*ling (?), n. [Scatter + -ling.] One who has no fixed
habitation or residence; a vagabond. [Obs.] "Foreign scatterlings."
Spenser.
Sca*tu"ri*ent (?), a.[L. scaturiens, p. pr. of scaturire gush out, from
scatere to bubble, gush.] Gushing forth; full to overflowing; effusive.
[R.]
A pen so scaturient and unretentive.
Sir W. Scott.
Scat`u*rig"i*nous (?), a. [L. scaturiginosus, fr. scaturigo gushing
water. See Scaturient.] Abounding with springs. [Obs.]
Scaup (skp), n. [See Scalp a bed of oysters or mussels.] 1. A bed or
stratum of shellfish; scalp. [Scot.]