sprat /spɹæt/noun 4verb 1forms 3 noun4 •Any of various small, herring-like, marine fish in the genus Sprattus, in the family Clupeidae. •Any of various similar fish of other genera. •Anything petty or insignificant. •(slang, no longer used) A sixpence. verb1 •(historical) To manure (land) with sprats (the fish).[…] spratting the land. This treatment is supplemented by about half a ton of artificial manure, largely made up of a mixture of superphosphate and some nitrogenous manure. — 1923 formsspratted · spratting · sprats
