1
the patter of [sth]
patter 与 of 连用时，指轻快而急促的连续声响，如雨点或脚步声。
I could hear the patter of rain on the window.
我能听到雨点打在窗户上的嗒嗒声。
急速拍打声；轻快脚步声
patters — plural of patter
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
急速拍打声；轻快脚步声
a quick succession of light rapid sounds
I could hear the patter of rain on the window.
我能听到雨点打在窗户上的嗒嗒声。
轻柔的重复声响,如雨声或硬地上的脚步声。
A soft repeated sound, as of rain falling, or feet walking on a hard surface.
流利快速的言语,如拍卖商、体育评论员或销售人员的油滑说辞。
Glib and rapid speech, such as from an auctioneer, a sports commentator, or a salesperson with a slick style of selling.
拍打的人。
One who pats.
Rain pattered against the window all night.
雨点整夜嗒嗒地敲打着窗户。
I could hear the patter of small feet upstairs.
我能听到楼上传来的轻快脚步声。
The hail pattered on the roof for a few minutes.
冰雹嗒嗒地打在屋顶上，持续了几分钟。
patter 与 of 连用时，指轻快而急促的连续声响，如雨点或脚步声。
I could hear the patter of rain on the window.
我能听到雨点打在窗户上的嗒嗒声。
用作不及物动词时，patter 常接 against、on、down 等介词或副词，表示持续发出轻快细碎的声音。
Rain pattered against the glass all night.
雨整夜敲打着玻璃，发出嗒嗒声。
用作及物动词时，patter 可表示“急促而流利地说出”，宾语通常为笑话、台词或话。
The performer pattered jokes to the audience.
表演者连珠炮似的向观众讲笑话。
Not this
The patter on this dress is very nice.
Use this
The pattern on this dress is very nice.
patter 指轻快的拍打声或急促的说话声，不表示“图案/花样”；表示衣服、布料上的图案应使用 pattern。两者拼写相近，容易混淆。
Not this
The rain pattered the roof all night.
Use this
The rain pattered on the roof all night.
patter 作“发出嗒嗒声”时是不及物动词，不能直接接宾语；表示敲打在某个表面时需在表面名词前加介词 on 或 against。中文“敲打屋顶”的及物结构不能直译。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
雨点噼啪声
The steady patter of rain on the window helped me fall asleep.
雨点有节奏地打在窗上的声音让我安然入睡。
轻快的脚步声
I could hear the patter of footsteps in the corridor.
我能听见走廊里轻快的脚步声。
嗒嗒地打在窗上
Rain pattered against the window all night.
雨点整夜嗒嗒地打在窗户上。
推销员的套话
The salesman's smooth patter was hard to resist.
推销员圆滑的套话让人很难不动心。
婴儿即将出生的征兆；家里即将添小孩
They've talked about having children, and soon there may be the patter of tiny feet.
他们一直说想要孩子，很快家里可能就要有小孩了。
Use patters naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
雨点“啪嗒啪嗒”轻快拍打，patter就是这种急速轻快的声音与动作。
语域：neutral 常见场景：描写雨点敲打的声音、描写轻快的脚步声 该语义为中性用语，通常用于描述雨点、脚步等连续而轻快的声音，日常口语和书面描写中都比较常见。
All these words rhyme with 'patter' /ˈpætə/ because they share the stressed /æ/ and following /tə/ sound. Beware lookalikes that sound different: 'pater' /ˈpeɪtə/ and 'potter' /ˈpɒtə/ do not rhyme with 'patter'.
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.