scattered
[ skat-erd ]
/ ˈskæt ərd /
adjective
distributed or occurring at widely spaced and usually irregular intervals: scattered villages; scattered showers.
dispersed; disorganized: scattered forces.
distracted or disorganized: scattered thoughts.
OTHER WORDS FROM scattered
scat·tered·ly, adverb scat·tered·ness, noun un·scat·tered, adjective well-scat·tered, adjectiveWords nearby scattered
Definition for scattered (2 of 2)
scatter
[ skat-er ]
/ ˈskæt ər /
verb (used with object)
to throw loosely about; distribute at irregular intervals: to scatter seeds.
to separate and drive off in various directions; disperse: to scatter a crowd.
Physics.
- to refract or diffract (light or other electromagnetic radiation) irregularly so as to diffuse in many directions.
- (of a medium) to diffuse or deflect (light or other wave phenomena) by collisions between the wave and particles of the medium.
verb (used without object)
to separate and disperse; go in different directions.
noun
the act of scattering.
something that is scattered.
Origin of scatter
1125–75; Middle English
scatere; compare Dutch
schateren to burst out laughing
SYNONYMS FOR scatter
2
Scatter,
dispel,
disperse,
dissipate imply separating and driving something away so that its original form disappears.
To scatter is to separate something tangible into parts at random, and drive these in different directions:
The wind scattered leaves all over the lawn.
To dispel is to drive away or scatter usually intangible things so that they vanish or cease to exist:
Photographs of the race dispelled all doubts as to which horse won. To
disperse is usually to cause a compact or organized tangible body to separate or scatter in different directions, to be reassembled if desired:
Tear gas dispersed the mob.
To dissipate is usually to scatter by dissolving or reducing to small atoms or parts that cannot be brought together again:
He dissipated his money and his energy in useless activities.
OTHER WORDS FROM scatter
scat·ter·a·ble, adjective scat·ter·er, noun scat·ter·ing·ly, adverbExample sentences from the Web for scattered
British Dictionary definitions for scattered
scatter
/ (ˈskætə) /
verb
(tr)
to throw about in various directions; strew
to separate and move or cause to separate and move in various directions; disperse
to deviate or cause to deviate in many directions, as in the diffuse reflection or refraction of light
noun
the act of scattering
a substance or a number of objects scattered about
Derived forms of scatter
scatterable, adjective scatterer, nounWord Origin for scatter
C13: probably a variant of
shatter
Medical definitions for scattered
scatter
[ skăt′ər ]
v.
To cause to separate and go in different directions.
To separate and go in different directions; disperse.
To deflect radiation or particles.
n.
The act of scattering or the condition of being scattered.