"utter" - meanings, definitions, synonyms, thesaurus and antonyms

\Ut"ter\, a. [OE. utter, originally the same word as
outer. See {Out}, and cf. {Outer}, {Utmost}.]
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.

{Utter bar} (Law), the whole body of junior barristers. See
   {Outer bar}, under 1st {Outer}. [Eng.]

{Utter barrister} (Law), one recently admitted as barrister,
   who is accustomed to plead without, or outside, the bar,
   as distinguished from the benchers, who are sometimes
   permitted to plead within the bar. [Eng.] --Cowell.

\Ut"ter\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Uttered}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Uttering}.] [OE. outren, freq. of outen to utter, put out,
AS. [=u]tian to put out, eject, fr. [=u]t out. [root]198. See
{Out}, and cf. {Utter}, a.]
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}.