sputterer
/ˈspʌtərər/
noun
- A person or thing that makes a series of soft explosive or spitting sounds, often due to irregular or interrupted operation.
- The campfire was a sputterer, sending out sparks and small bursts of flame.
- My lawnmower has become a sputterer; it starts and stops unpredictably.
- The old car was a sputterer, coughing and jerking as it climbed the hill.
- A person who speaks in a confused, hesitant, or halting way, often because of nervousness or strong emotion.
- She was a nervous sputterer during her first job interview, but she improved with practice.
- The witness was a sputterer on the stand, making it hard for the jury to follow his story.
- When asked about the missing money, he became a sputterer, unable to form a clear sentence.