utter Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb articulate; either verbally or with a cry, shout, or noise
    give tongue to; express; verbalise; verbalize.
    • She expressed her anger
    • He uttered a curse
  2. verb express audibly; utter sounds (not necessarily words)
    let loose; emit; let out.
    • She let out a big heavy sigh
    • He uttered strange sounds that nobody could understand
  3. verb express in speech
    verbalise; verbalize; mouth; talk; speak.
    • She talks a lot of nonsense
    • This depressed patient does not verbalize
  4. verb put into circulation
    • utter counterfeit currency
  5. adjective satellite without qualification; used informally as (often pejorative) intensifiers
    perfect; double-dyed; complete; gross; arrant; unadulterated; sodding; stark; consummate; pure; thoroughgoing; everlasting; staring.
    • an arrant fool
    • a complete coward
    • a consummate fool
    • a double-dyed villain
    • gross negligence
    • a perfect idiot
    • pure folly
    • what a sodding mess
    • stark staring mad
    • a thoroughgoing villain
    • utter nonsense
    • the unadulterated truth
  6. adjective satellite complete
    dead.
    • came to a dead stop
    • utter seriousness

WordNet

Ut"ter adjective
Etymology
OE. utter, originally the same word as outer. See Out, and cf. Outer, Utmost.
Definitions
  1. Outer. "Thine utter eyen." Chaucer. Obs. "By him a shirt and utter mantle laid." Chapman.
    As doth an hidden moth The inner garment fret, not th' utter touch. Spenser.
  2. Situated on the outside, or extreme limit; remote from the center; outer. Obs.
    Through utter and through middle darkness borne. Milton.
    The very utter part pf Saint Adelmes point is five miles from Sandwich. Holinshed.
  3. Complete; perfect; total; entire; absolute; as, utter ruin; utter darkness.
    They . . . are utter strangers to all those anxious thoughts which disquiet mankind. Atterbury.
  4. Peremptory; unconditional; unqualified; final; as, an utter refusal or denial. Clarendon.
Ut"ter transitive verb
Etymology
OE. outren, freq. of outen to utter, put out, AS. &umac;tian to put out, eject, fr. &umac;t out. See Out, and cf. Utter, a.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Uttered ; present participle & verbal noun Uttering
Definitions
  1. To put forth or out; to reach out. Obs.
    How bragly [proudly] it begins to bud, And utter his tender head. Spenser.
  2. To dispose of in trade; to sell or vend. Obs.
    Such mortal drugs I have, but Mantua's law Is death to any he that utters them. Shak.
    They bring it home, and utter it commonly by the name of Newfoundland fish. Abp. Abbot.
  3. hence, to put in circulation, as money; to put off, as currency; to cause to pass in trade; -- often used, specifically, of the issue of counterfeit notes or coins, forged or fraudulent documents, and the like; as, to utter coin or bank notes.
    The whole kingdom should continue in a firm resolution never to receive or utter this fatal coin. Swift.
  4. To give public expression to; to disclose; to publish; to speak; to pronounce. "Sweet as from blest, uttering joy." Milton.
    The words I utter Let none think flattery, for they 'll find 'em truth. Shak.
    And the last words he uttered called me cruel. Addison.
    Syn. -- To deliver; give forth; issue; liberate; discharge; pronounce. See Deliver.

Webster 1913