sputterings
Choppy, failing sounds
Sputterings are bursts of spitting, popping sounds—or the halting, incoherent speech that resembles them.
An engine sputters before dying; a person sputters in outrage.
The plural emphasizes repeated or multiple instances: The sputterings of the old furnace kept us awake.
His sputterings of protest went ignored.
Involuntary speech repetition
- stutteringInvoluntary speech disfluency
- falteringBecoming unsteady or weak
- stumblingWalking clumsily, almost falling
- mumblingIndistinct, quiet speech
garbling · halting · hesitating · babbling · incoherence · tongue-tied · choking up · broken speech
Yield unintended consequences
- misfireFailure to discharge
- stallingIntentional delay tactics
- coughingForceful air expulsion reflex
- chokingBlocked airway condition
rattling · knocking · pinging · dieseling · misfiring · rough idle · cold start · flooding
Weakly sputtering to nothing
- petering outGradually diminishing to nothing
- falteringBecoming unsteady or weak
- dying downDecreasing in force
- waningGradually decreasing in intensity
flagging · weakening · flickering · guttering · failing · tapering · dwindling · ebbing
Expressions of disapproval
- complaintsExpressions of discontent
- outburstsSudden emotional eruptions
- exclamationsEmphatic verbal outbursts
- interjectionsEmotive verbal outbursts
indignation · outrage · remonstrations · protestations · harrumphing · blustering · fuming · ranting
stammering
Involuntary speech repetition
- stutteringInvoluntary speech disfluency
- falteringBecoming unsteady or weak
- stumblingWalking clumsily, almost falling
mumbling · garbling · halting · hesitating · babbling · incoherence · tongue-tied · choking up · broken speech · hem and haw
backfire
Yield unintended consequences
choking · rattling · knocking · pinging · dieseling · misfiring · rough idle · cold start · flooding · vapor lock
fizzling
Weakly sputtering to nothing
- petering outGradually diminishing to nothing
- falteringBecoming unsteady or weak
- dying downDecreasing in force
waning · flagging · weakening · flickering · guttering · failing · tapering · dwindling · ebbing · fading
objections
Expressions of disapproval
- complaintsExpressions of discontent
- outburstsSudden emotional eruptions
- exclamationsEmphatic verbal outbursts
interjections · indignation · outrage · remonstrations · protestations · harrumphing · blustering · fuming · ranting · grumbling
- sputtering outEnding in fitful gasps