What's the difference between slap and spat?

Slap


Definition:

  • (n.) A blow, esp. one given with the open hand, or with something broad.
  • (v. t.) To strike with the open hand, or with something broad.
  • (n.) With a sudden and violent blow; hence, quickly; instantly; directly.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) A series of hierarchical multiple regressions revealed the effects of Surgency, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability, and Intellect on evoking upset in spouses through condescension (e.g., treating spouse as stupid or inferior), possessiveness (demanding too much time and attention), abuse (slapping spouse), unfaithfulness (having sex with others), inconsiderateness (leaving toilet seat up), moodiness (crying a lot), alcohol abuse (drinking too much alcohol), emotional constriction (hiding emotions to act tough), and self-centeredness (acting selfishly).
  • (2) Shaky phone footage of the raid that circulated online showed the vigilantes kicking, slapping and insulting the men, with one of them slumped naked on the ground during the attack.
  • (3) The debate about the future ownership of Royal Bank of Scotland was kickstarted on Wednesday just hours before the bank was slapped with a fine for rigging Libor.
  • (4) Her target was Raymond Young, whose response, according to witnesses in Droylsden's Cotton Tree pub, was to slap Atkinson with the back of his hand.
  • (5) The discovery of "serious failings" in the sale of these so-called interest rate swaps comes as the banking industry is mired in controversy about manipulating interest rates following the record-breaking £290m fine slapped on Barclays on Wednesday.
  • (6) Bartra slaps a header just wide of the near post and high.
  • (7) I've had your typical Australian dad come up after the show, slap me on the back, go bright red and say, "Well done, mate, well done."
  • (8) 2.54pm BST Photograph: Bloomberg TV Shares in Pfizer have risen over 1.6% in early trading in New York, as Wall Street traders react to the news that the company's third bid for AstraZeneca has been slapped down.
  • (9) For years we’ve been told to slap on sunscreen to protect against the harmful effects of the sun’s UV rays.
  • (10) The senior officials signed off on how the CIA would interrogate top al-Qaida suspects - whether they would be slapped, pushed, deprived of sleep or subjected to waterboarding.
  • (11) Rachel Dolezal identifying as African American is highly unusual, experts say Read more The adopted brother of Rachel Dolezal has accused her of giving African Americans a “slap in the face” by co-opting their racial struggles after growing up with all the advantages of a white, middle-class girl.
  • (12) It’s not just the slapping you or beating you on the feet, it’s the way they wake you in the middle of the night in that shitty room where you’ve tried so hard to sleep,” the prisoner said above the noise of fellow inmates and their relatives.
  • (13) This may be triggered by a research note from UBS analysts, who have slapped a 'sell' rating on Royal Mail shares and set a target price of 450p.
  • (14) She scraped her fingernails on my neck, and slapped my face.
  • (15) "They shouldn't just get away with a slap," said Paul Gaines, 54.
  • (16) The coalition government has allowed more than 10,000 perpetrators of domestic violence to get away with an apology and slap on the wrist, Yvette Cooper , the shadow home secretary, will say on Monday.
  • (17) Chelsea v Bournemouth: Premier League – as it happened Read more Mourinho’s post-match gloom reflected as much, his criticisms of the officials all rather half-hearted given the fact that, when he has lambasted perceived mistakes this term, he has been slapped down with heavy fines, a stadium ban and a threat of another to come.
  • (18) Chindamo's trial, the following year, heard how the teenager, who came to Britain from Italy at the age of five, sneered as he slapped, punched and then stabbed the headteacher.
  • (19) On Thursday, they slapped a button on the streak, winning 1-0 over the Arizona Diamondbacks in walk-off fashion.
  • (20) Why was an import ban not slapped on ash immediately the disease was discovered in February?

Spat


Definition:

  • () imp. of Spit.
  • (n.) A young oyster or other bivalve mollusk, both before and after it first becomes adherent, or such young, collectively.
  • (v. i. & t.) To emit spawn; to emit, as spawn.
  • (n.) A light blow with something flat.
  • (n.) Hence, a petty combat, esp. a verbal one; a little quarrel, dispute, or dissension.
  • (v. i.) To dispute.
  • (v. t.) To slap, as with the open hand; to clap together; as the hands.
  • () of Spit

Example Sentences:

  • (1) But the Franco-British spat sparked by Dave's rejection of Angela and Nicolas's cunning plan to save the euro has been given wings by news the US credit agencies may soon strip France of its triple-A rating and is coming along very nicely, thank you. "
  • (2) If wide notice is taken of a current spat over what we can read about Shakespeare’s sexuality into the sonnets in the correspondence columns of the Times Literary Supplement, Sonnet 20 may be a future favourite at civil unions.
  • (3) He wanted to stay on longer than the traditional retirement age but became involved in a nasty spat with the then-chairman, Peter Sutherland.
  • (4) He’s spat on and has wee thrown at him.” Rutherford is also concerned about the governance of the sport.
  • (5) Venom entered the eyes of 9 patients spat at by the spitting cobra, Naja nigricollis.
  • (6) The British parliament’s vote against airstrikes has long been cited by Obama and others as a causal factor but Kerry made the link explicit just a week after a diplomatic spat with the UK’s prime minister, Theresa May, over a United Nations resolution that condemned Israel.
  • (7) The Labour leader, Ed Miliband, has attempted to seize the initiative in the bitter spat on energy prices by pledging a 20-month freeze .
  • (8) She had been sworn at and spat on – anything to force the expression they wanted on to her face.
  • (9) Some said they saw stones; others said they had been spat at.
  • (10) The England winger has been training with the under-21s for the past two and a half months after being frozen out by Mauricio Pochettino in the wake of his public spat with Nathan Gardiner, Tottenham’s fitness coach, following a win against Aston Villa in November.
  • (11) By the time the latest spat came before the FCC, Karr argues, net activists had sharpened their tactics and raised their game.
  • (12) Still alive, he was then surrounded by people who cursed and spat at him, kicked him in the head and tried to hit him with a chair.
  • (13) The Greece midfielder Giannis Maniatis was so enraged after a training ground spat that he booked a himself on a flight back to Athens before being persuaded not to walk out on Fernando Santos’s squad.
  • (14) Mariano Rajoy said he did not want the dispute to "go further", after a spat about fishing escalated into a full-blown diplomatic row with Britain.
  • (15) They are saying she needs to realise that she needs to build allies.” The Tory source spoke out after Kenneth Clarke blew into the open a spat between the Conservative leadership and the home secretary’s team after two of May’s special advisers declined to take part in telephone canvassing in the recent Rochester and Strood byelection.
  • (16) It is understood Cameron and the Lib Dem leader have agreed to cool the coalition tensions that have boiled over into public spats – and there were signs yesterday that was having some effect after it was clear that Labour was making capital from the dispute.
  • (17) Padoan said the US's budget spat posed significant threats to the US and the global economy but said that Europe presented a larger challenge.
  • (18) However, after several years of improving relations and increasing trade, China and Japan have much to lose from a prolonged deterioration in ties, and will be wary of letting the spat get out of hand.
  • (19) Ahmadinejad has been drawn into a bruising power struggle with the conservatives, many of them his former supporters, and has mounted serious challenges to Khamenei, such as engaging in public spats with top-level officials.
  • (20) Former Netanyahu aide lambasts US ambassador in heated spat Read more “These provocative acts are bound to increase the growth of settler populations, further heighten tensions and undermine any prospects for a political road ahead,” Ban told a United Nations security council meeting on the Middle East.