Hypertext Webster Gateway: "scattering"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Scattering \Scat"ter*ing\, a.
Going or falling in various directions; not united or
aggregated; divided among many; as, scattering votes.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Scatter \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.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Scattering \Scat"ter*ing\, n.
Act of strewing about; something scattered. --South.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
scattering
adj : spreading by diffusion [syn: {diffusing(a)}, {diffusive}, {dispersive},
{disseminative}, {disseminating}, {spreading}]
n 1: the physical process in which particles are deflected
haphazardly as a result of collisions
2: a small number dispersed haphazardly: "the first scatterings
of green" [syn: {sprinkling}]
3: a light shower that falls in some locations and not others
nearby [syn: {sprinkle}, {sprinkling}]
4: spreading widely or driving off [syn: {dispersion}]
5: the act of scattering [syn: {scatter}, {strewing}]
Additional Hypertext Webster Gateway Lookup
Gateway by dict@stokkie.net
stock only wrote the gateway and does not have any control over the contents;
see the Webster Gateway FAQ,
and also the Back-end/database links and credits.