scat

scat — exclamation

1. a quick, sharp cry you use when you want a cat or other animal to leave at once

1.exclamationB1
Definition

a quick, sharp cry you use when you want a cat or other animal to leave at once

Example

Beatrix shouted 'Scat!' when the neighbour's cat jumped onto the kitchen table.

scat used as a standalone command to an animal

The old woman clapped her hands and yelled 'Scat!' at the pigeons on her balcony.

scat directed at birds; clapping gesture

Common collocations
  • shout scat
  • yell scat
  • cry scat
Synonyms
  • shoo

    more common for chickens and small animals; softer than scat

  • go away

    general command; not specific to animals

Grammar Patterns

used as a command on its own

Usage Note

Usually said to animals rather than people. When used toward a person, it sounds very harsh or joking.

Common Mistakes

She scatted the cat away.
She shouted "Scat!" at the cat.
'Scat' is an exclamation, not a transitive verb in this sense.

scat — noun

scat — verb

scat — abbreviation

Word family

  • scatology
    nounC2
  • scatological
    adjectiveC2
  • scatting
    verbB2
  • scatted
    verbB2
  • scatologist
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: exclamation/1

'Shoo' is the gentlest of the group and is most often used with small animals such as chickens, birds, or cats — you can shoo a hen out of the kitchen without sounding aggressive. 'Scat' is sharper and more commanding, usually directed at cats or, in a joking tone, at people. 'Beat it' and 'scram' are both American slang for telling a person to leave; they carry a stronger, ruder tone than 'scat' and are not used with animals. 'Go away' is the neutral, all-purpose command that works for any situation but lacks the specific, brisk quality of 'scat'. For example: you might shoo a butterfly out an open window, yell 'Scat!' at a stray cat on your porch, tell an annoying salesperson to 'beat it', and ask a friend politely to 'go away' if you need some quiet time.

shoogo away ↗beat it ↗scram

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • scat singing
  • SCAT test
  • SCAT project

Prepositions

Etymology

EnglishAfrican American slangGreekLatin

The exclamation 'scat' likely comes from the sound people make to shoo cats, similar to 'shoo' or 'scat!' used since the 1800s. The verb meaning 'to leave quickly' grew from this same sound. The jazz term 'scat' (singing with nonsense syllables) probably developed from African American slang in the early 1900s, where 'scat' meant a quick, improvised vocal sound. The noun meaning 'animal droppings' comes from the scientific field of scatology, which is based on the Greek word 'skōr' (stem 'skat-') meaning 'dung'; this sense entered English through biology in the late 1800s. The two abbreviation senses (SCAT) are modern backronyms unrelated to the earlier origins.