0 present participle of splutter
1 to speak in a quick and confused way, producing short, unclear noises because of surprise, anger, etc.:
She took too big a gulp of whisky and started to cough and splutter.
The old gentleman was spluttering with indignation.
[ + speech ] "But, er ... when, um, ... how?" he spluttered.
Suddenly it commenced spluttering and rising with incredible rapidity, causing a general stampede among our company, who all moved around to the windward side of the geyser.
The song is a rich, spluttering warble and the bird is more often heard than seen.
Spluttering pupils emerged, asking what was happening.
But many homeless people try to avoid using such provision, being understandably reluctant to spend the night in a vast dormitory in the company of coughing, spluttering, alcoholic older men.
We shall get our oil on a commercial basis or not at all, and we have already, 7½ years ago, seen one desert pipeline broken and spluttering in the sand.
They become almost like doctors' surgeries when children are coughing and spluttering because of dampness in the house.
Slowly, in all the different forums in which these matters are discussed, there seems to be a spluttering into life of one sort or another.
It is rather like the last few spluttering turns of an extinguishing catherine wheel.
