1
- no obj. make a series of soft explosive sounds, typically when being heated or as a symptom of a fault（多指因加热或有毛病而）发出一连串轻微的爆炸声：
the engine sputtered and stopped.
发动机发出一连串轻微的爆炸声, 然后停止了转动。
1.1
- reporting verb speak in a series of incoherent bursts as a result of indignation or some other strong emotion（因气愤或其他强烈的感情而）结结巴巴地说：
with direct speech 'But... but... ' she sputtered.她结结巴巴地说：“但是…但是…”。
1.2
- with obj. emit with a spitting sound噼啪作响地喷射：
the goose is in the oven, sputtering fat.
那只鹅在烤箱里, 烤得脂肪噼啪作响。
1.3
- with adverbial figurative proceed or develop in a spasmodic and feeble way〈喻〉时断时续地发生（或进展）; 疲软地进行（或进展）：
strikes in the public services sputtered on.
公众服务行业的罢工时断时续。
2
- with obj. Physics deposit (metal) on a surface by using fast ions to eject particles of it from a target【物理】喷镀。
2.1
- cover (a surface) with metal by this method给（表面）喷镀。
- a series of soft explosive sounds, typically produced by an engine or by something heating or burning（多指发动机或物体加热或燃烧时发出的）噼啪声, 哔剥声：
the sputter of the motor died away.
马达发出的哔剥声渐渐地消失了。
派生词
sputterer
noun词源
late 16th cent. (as a verb)： from Dutch sputteren, of imitative origin.