- spat (1)
- "petty quarrel," 1804, Amer.Eng., of unknown origin; perhaps somehow imitative (cf. spat "smack, slap," attested from 1823).
- spat (2)
- "short gaiter covering the ankle," 1779, shortening of spatterdash "long gaiter to keep trousers or stockings from being spattered with mud" (1687), from spatter and dash (v.).