sprinkling

[spring-kling] /ˈsprɪŋ klɪŋ/
noun
1.
a small quantity or number scattered here and there.
2.
a small quantity sprinkled or to be sprinkled.
Origin
1400-50; late Middle English sprenclyng. See sprinkle, -ing1
Related forms
sprinklingly, adverb
Synonyms
1, 2. sprinkle, touch, dash, hint.

sprinkle

[spring-kuh l] /ˈsprɪŋ kəl/
verb (used with object), sprinkled, sprinkling.
1.
to scatter (a liquid, powder, etc.) in drops or particles:
She sprinkled powder on the baby.
2.
to disperse or distribute here and there.
3.
to overspread with drops or particles of water, powder, or the like:
to sprinkle a lawn.
4.
to diversify or intersperse with objects scattered here and there.
verb (used without object), sprinkled, sprinkling.
5.
to scatter or disperse liquid, a powder, etc., in drops or particles.
6.
to be sprinkled.
7.
to rain slightly (often used impersonally with it as subject):
It may sprinkle this evening.
noun
8.
the act or an instance of sprinkling.
9.
something used for sprinkling.
10.
Usually, sprinkles. small particles of chocolate, candy, sugar, etc., used as a decorative topping for cookies, cakes, ice-cream cones, and the like.
11.
a light rain.
12.
a small quantity or number.
Origin
1350-1400; Middle English sprenklen (v.); cognate with Dutch sprenkelen, German sprenkeln; akin to Old English sprengan to sprinkle, make (something) spring, scatter, causative of springan to spring
Related forms
intersprinkle, verb (used with object), intersprinkled, intersprinkling.
presprinkle, verb (used with object), presprinkled, presprinkling.
resprinkle, verb, resprinkled, resprinkling.
unsprinkled, adjective
Synonyms
1. distribute, rain. Sprinkle, scatter, strew mean to fling, spread, or disperse. To sprinkle means to fling about small drops or particles: to sprinkle water on clothes, powder on plants. To scatter is to disperse or spread widely: to scatter seeds. To strew is to scatter, especially in such a way as to cover or partially cover a surface: to strew flowers on a grave.
Examples from the web for sprinkling
  • Students join him in sprinkling cornmeal on the ground as an offering.
  • At planting time, every vegetable and flower seedling gets a sprinkling of controlled-release fertilizer.
  • sprinkling extra shutter buttons over its camera, that's what.
  • All it needs is a little sprinkling of physics for flavor.
  • Lettuce may be best kept by sprinkling with cold water and placing in a tin pail closely covered.
  • The line which sets sprinkling to be a remedy is beside the best cold.
  • But he killed him in the morning twilight by sprinkling over him the foam of the sea.
  • sprinkling some salt on the ice cube makes a little puddle of melted ice.
  • Top the mixture with a sprinkling of nutmeg and two small pats of butter or margarine.
  • One carries drinking water to houses and apartments, the other nonpotable water for cleaning streets and sprinkling parks.
British Dictionary definitions for sprinkling

sprinkling

/ˈsprɪŋklɪŋ/
noun
1.
a small quantity or amount: a sprinkling of commonsense

sprinkle

/ˈsprɪŋkəl/
verb
1.
to scatter (liquid, powder, etc) in tiny particles or droplets over (something)
2.
(transitive) to distribute over (something): the field was sprinkled with flowers
3.
(intransitive) to drizzle slightly
noun
4.
the act or an instance of sprinkling or a quantity that is sprinkled
5.
a slight drizzle
Word Origin
C14: probably from Middle Dutch sprenkelen; related to Old English spearcaspark1
Word Origin and History for sprinkling
n.

"small amount," 1590s, verbal noun from sprinkle (v.).

sprinkle

v.

late 14c. (implied in sprinkled), frequentative of sprenge (see spring (v.)) or via Middle Dutch, Middle Low German sprenkel "spot, speck," from PIE root *(s)preg- "to jerk, scatter" (cf. Latin spargere "to scatter, sprinkle"). The meaning "rain lightly" is first recorded 1778. Related: Sprinkling.