Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
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noun
Poultry which has been cut along the spine and spread out for more even cooking.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: also, attributive
Topics: cooking, food, lifestyle
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To cut (poultry) along the spine and spread the halves apart for more even cooking.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Topics: cooking, food, lifestyle
Synonyms: frog
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Often followed by in or into: to interpolate or insert (something into another thing) awkwardly; to sandwich (something within another thing).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
flesh of a chicken (or game bird) split down the back and grilled (usually immediately after being killed)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: chicken, poulet, volaille
verb
interpolate or insert (words) into a sentence or story
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: slip in, stick in, sneak in, insert
verb
prepare for eating if or as if a spatchcock
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: organize, organise, prepare, devise, get up, machinate
History
The noun is probably derived from one of the following: * A variant of spitchcock (“eel split lengthwise and broiled”). from Middle English spiche-coke, The further etymology is uncertain; the following possibilities have been suggested: ** From Middle English *speche, *spiche (“to split”) + cock, coken (“to allow (something) to cook; to cook”). ** From spik (“animal fat, especially lard”), spik, spike (“large nail; pointed stud”), or spit, spite (“rod for cooking meat, spit; pointed object”); + cok (“male of the common domestic fowl, cock, rooster”). * From Irish spot (“spot”) or spochta (the past participle of spoch (“to cut, clip”)) + coc (“male of the common domestic fowl, cock, rooster”). A derivation from (di)spatch (“to dispose of speedily; to make a speedy end of”) + cock is now thought to be unlikely. In a few texts from the 1400s–1700s the form smatchcock is found, possibly an error or an alteration under the influence of smatch (“a taste, a flavor”). The verb is derived from the noun.
Across languages
10 source translations are retained for this English entry.
