utter

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈʌtə/,
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈʌtɚ/,

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʌtə(ɹ)

From Middle English utter, from out (adjective) and Old English ūtera, comparative of ūt (“out”). Compare outer.

utter (not comparable)

1. Absolute, unconditional, total, complete.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:total

   utter ruin;   utter darkness

   utter joy;   utter bliss

   • 1708, Francis Atterbury, Fourteen Sermons Preach'd on Several Occasions, Preface:

     They […] are utter strangers to all those anxious […] thoughts which […] disquiet mankind.

   • 1920, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Thuvia, Maiden of Mars‎, HTML edition, The Gutenberg Project, published 2008:

     His eyes could not penetrate the darkness even to the distinguishing of his hand before his face, while the banths, he knew, could see quite well, though absence of light were utter.

2. (now poetic, literary) Outer; furthest out, most remote: outmost.

   at the utter extremities of

   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto II”, in The Faerie Queene. , London: [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 34, page 214:

     as doth an hidden moth / The inner garment frett, not th’vtter touch;

   • 1614–1615, Homer, “The Sixth Book of Homer’s Odysseys”, in Geo[rge] Chapman, transl., Homer’s Odysses. , London: Rich Field , for Nathaniell Butter, published 1615, →OCLC; republished in The Odysseys of Homer, , volume I, London: John Russell Smith, , 1857, →OCLC, page 144, line 342:

     By him a shirt and utter mantle laid, […]

     The spelling has been modernized.

   • 1667, John Milton, “Book III”, in Paradise Lost. , London: [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker ; nd by Robert Boulter ; nd Matthias Walker, , →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: , London: Basil Montagu Pickering , 1873, →OCLC:

     Through utter and through middle darkneſs borne […]

3. (obsolete) Outward.
   • 1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt  (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Matthew :[25], folio xxxiij, recto:

     Wo be to you ſcrybꝭ / ãd phariſes ypocritꝭ / for ye make clene the vtter ſide off the cuppe / and off the platter: but with in they are full of brybery and exceſſe.

   • 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book IIII, Canto X”, in The Faerie Queene. , part II (books IV–VI), London: [Richard Field] for William Ponsonby, →OCLC, page 142:

     So forth without impediment I paſt, / Till to the Bridges vtter gate I came: […].

This adjective is often used with negative nouns (i.e., those denoting undesirable things); its use with positive nouns (denoting desirable things) is less common although not rare. A synonym, sheer, is often used with either negative or positive nouns.

From Middle English utter, partly from utter (adjective, adverb), partly from Middle Dutch uteren.

utter (third-person singular simple present utters, present participle uttering, simple past and past participle uttered)

1. (transitive) To produce (speech or other sounds) with one's voice.

   Synonyms: let out, say, speak; see also Thesaurus:utter, Thesaurus:speak

   Don't you utter another word!

   • 1560, [William Whittingham et al., transl.], The Bible and Holy Scriptures Conteyned in the Olde and Newe Testament.  (the Geneva Bible), Geneva: Rouland Hall, →OCLC, Prouerbes I:20, folio 267, verso:

     Wiſdome cryeth without: ſhe vttereth her voyce in the ſtretes.

   • 1748, Tobias Smollett, chapter 50, in The Adventures of Roderick Random‎, volume 2, London: J. Osborn, page 156:

     [H]e made no other reply, for some time, than lifting up his eyes, clasping his hands, and uttering a hollow groan.

   • 1868, Louisa M[ay] Alcott, chapter 17, in Little Women: , part first, Boston, Mass.: Roberts Brothers, published 1869, →OCLC, page 263:

     […] Laurie slyly pulled the parrot’s tail, which caused Polly to utter an astonished croak, […]

   • 1997, Don DeLillo, Underworld: A Novel, New York, N.Y.: Scribner Classics, →ISBN, page 543:

     I wanted to look up velleity and quotidian and memorize the fuckers for all time, spell them, learn them, pronounce them syllable by syllable—vocalize, phonate, utter the sounds, say the words for all they're worth.

2. (transitive) To reveal or express (an idea, thought, desire, etc.) with speech.

   Synonyms: declare, say, tell

   • 1644, John Milton, Areopagitica; a Speech of Mr. John Milton for the Liberty of Unlicenc’d Printing, to the Parlament of England, London: [s.n.], →OCLC, page 35:

     Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conſcience, above all liberties.

   • 1749, Henry Fielding, “The Trial of Partridge, the Schoolmaster, for Incontinency; The Evidence of his Wife; A short Reflection on the Wisdom of our Law; with other grave Matters, which those will like best who understand them most”, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume I, London: A Millar, , →OCLC, book II, page 118:

     […] tho’ a few odd Fellows will utter their own Sentiments in all Places, yet much the greater Part of Mankind have enough of the Courtier to accommodate their Converſation to the Taſte and Inclination of their Superiors.

   • 1871–1872, George Eliot [pseudonym; Mary Ann Evans], chapter LXXXIII, in Middlemarch , volume IV, Edinburgh, London: William Blackwood and Sons, →OCLC, book VIII, page 323:

     Each had been full of thoughts which neither of them could begin to utter.

   • 1959, Muriel Spark, “Memento Mori”, in Time‎, New York, N.Y., published 1964, page 213:

     “Your master,” he declared, “has uttered a damnable lie about a dead friend of mine.”

   • 1995, Rohinton Mistry, A Fine Balance, Toronto, Ont.: McClelland and Stewart, part 11, page 528:

     “Don’t worry about me,” he uttered with minimum lip movement.

3. (transitive, figurative) To produce (a noise) (of an inanimate object).

   Synonyms: emit, let out

   Sally’s car uttered a hideous shriek when she applied the brakes.

4. (transitive, obsolete) To spit or blow (something) out of one's mouth.
   • 1819 June 23, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], “Rip Van Winkle”, in The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., number I, New York, N.Y.: C S. Van Winkle, , →OCLC, pages 82–83:

     He looked in vain for the sage Nicholas Vedder, with his broad face, double chin, and fair long pipe, uttering clouds of tobacco smoke instead of idle speeches; […]

   • 1821 September, Charles Lamb, “The Old Benchers of the Inner Temple”, in The London Magazine, volume 4, number 21, page 280:

     Four little winged marble boys used to play their virgin fancies, spouting out ever fresh streams from their innocent-wanton lips, in the square of Lincoln’s-inn […] Are the stiff-wigged living figures, that still flitter and chatter about that area, less gothic in appearance? or, is the splutter of their hot rhetoric one half so refreshing and innocent, as the little cool playful streams those exploded cherubs uttered?

5. (transitive, obsolete) To emit or give off (breath).
   • c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, A Midsommer Nights Dreame.  (First Quarto), London: for Thomas Fisher, , published 1600, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii]:

     […] moſt deare Actors, eate no Onions, nor garlicke: for vve are to vtter ſvveete breath: […]

   • 1629, William Davenant, The Tragedy of Albovine, King of the Lombards‎, London: R. Moore, act I, scene 1:

     […] now the King forsakes / The Campe, he must maintaine luxurious mouthes, / Such as can vtter perfum’d breath,

6. (transitive, archaic) To shed (a tear or tears).
   • c. 1607–1611 (first performance), [Francis Beaumont], Iohn Fletcher, Cupids Revenge. , London: Thomas Creede for Iosias Harison, , published 1615, →OCLC, Act V, scene , signature L3, recto:

     [Ô] vvoman, vvoman, vveepe novv or neuer, thou haſt made more ſorrovves then vve haue eyes to vtter.

   • 1928, Robert Byron, chapter 6, in The Station: Travels to the Holy Mountain of Greece, Bloomsbury, published 2010:

     […] a mythological matron, in a classical helmet, uttering a tear at a rustic cross bound in blue and white ribbons and inscribed TO THE FALLEN—1912, […]

7. (transitive, obsolete) To offer (something) for sale; to sell.
   • 1577, Raphaell Holinshed, “The Historie of Irelande ”, in The Firste Volume of the Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande , volume I, London: for Iohn Hunne, →OCLC, page 19:

     […] certayne Merchants […] obteyned licence ſafely to arriue here in Ireland with their wares, and to vtter the ſame.

   • c. 1591–1595 (date written), [William Shakespeare], Romeo and Juliet.  (First Quarto), London: Iohn Danter, published 1597, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]:

     Such mortall drugs I haue,, but Mantuas lawe / Is death to any he that vtters them.

   • 1605, Francis Bacon, “The Second Booke”, in The Twoo Bookes of Francis Bacon. Of the Proficience and Aduancement of Learning, Diuine and Humane, London: [Thomas Purfoot and Thomas Creede] for Henrie Tomes, , →OCLC, folio 71, recto:

     [A]t the Olimpian games […] ſome cam as Merchants to vtter their commodities, […]

   • 1722 March, H[enry] F[oe] [pseudonym; Daniel Defoe], A Journal of the Plague Year: , London: E Nutt ; J. Roberts ; A. Dodd ; and J. Graves , →OCLC, page 51:

     No infected Stuff [i.e., items made of cloth] to be uttered.

8. (transitive, law) To put (currency) into circulation.

   Synonym: circulate

   • 1564, Proclamation of Elizabeth I of England dated November, 1564, London: Richard Jugge and John Cawood, 1565,

     there are forrayne peeces of golde, of the like quantitie and fashion (although of lesse value) lyke to an Englyshe Angell, brought hyther, and here vttered and payde for ten shyllynges of syluer, beyng for they lacke of wayght, and for the basenesse of the allay, not worth. vii. shillinges, to the great deceite and losse of the subiectes of this her Realme:

   • 1735, Jonathan Swift, Drapier’s Letters, Letter 3, in The Works of Jonathan Swift, Dublin: George Faulkner, Volume 4, p. 123,

     There is nothing remaining to preserve us from Ruin, but that the whole Kingdom should continue in a firm determinate Resolution never to receive or utter this FATAL Coin:

   • 1842, cited in Supplement to The Jurist, containing a Digest of All the Reported Cases published during the year 1842, p. 49,

     If two persons jointly prepare counterfeit coin, and then utter it in different shops, apart from each other, but in concert, and intending to share the proceeds, the utterings of each are the joint utterings of both, and they may be convicted jointly.

   • 1914, Section 87G(2), Crimes Act 1914 (Cth)

     A person shall not utter a postage stamp knowing it to be forged.

   • 1948, 18 U.S. Code § 486, Uttering coins of gold, silver or other metal

     Whoever, except as authorized by law, makes or utters or passes, or attempts to utter or pass, any coins of gold or silver or other metal, or alloys of metals, intended for use as current money, whether in the resemblance of coins of the United States or of foreign countries, or of original design, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

9. (transitive, obsolete) To show (something that has been hidden); to reveal the identity of (someone).
   • 1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt  (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Mark iij:[12], folio xlvij, recto:

     And he [Jesus] ſtreyghtly charged thẽ [the unclean spirits] that they ſhulde not vtter him.

   • 1530 January 27 (Gregorian calendar), W[illiam] T[yndale], transl., (Tyndale Bible), Malborow , Hesse: Hans Luft , →OCLC, Genesis xlv:[1], folio lxvij, recto:

     […] there ſhuld be no man with him / whyle he [Joseph] vttred him ſelfe vnto his brethern.

10. (transitive, obsolete) To send or put (something) out.
    • 1548, Edward Hall, The Union of the Two Noble and Illustre Famelies of Lancastre Yorke, London: Richard Grafton, Henry VI, year 37,

      As fier beyng enclosed in a strayte place, wil by force vtter his flamme

    • 1579, Immeritô [pseudonym; Edmund Spenser], “March. Ægloga Tertia.”, in The Shepheardes Calender: , London: Hugh Singleton, , →OCLC, folio 8, verso:

      Seeſt not thilke ſame Hawthorne ſtudde, / How bragly it beginnes to budde, / And vtter his tender head?

11. (transitive, law) To commit the crime of uttering (knowingly presenting forged documentation).
    • 1875, George Hayter Chubb, Protection from fire and thieves including the construction of locks, safes, strong-rooms, and fireproof buildings : burglary, and the means of preventing it; fire, its detection, prevention, and extinction; etc. : also a complete list of patents for locks and safes‎, page 23:

      A man named Edward Agar was convicted in October 1855 of uttering a forged cheque, and sentenced to be transported for life.

From Old Norse otr, from Proto-Germanic *utraz, from Proto-Indo-European *udrós (“water-animal, otter”), from *wed- (“water”).

utter c

1. otter; a mammal of the family Mustelidae

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• utter in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• utter in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)