utter1

[uht-er] /ˈʌt ər/
verb (used with object)
1.
to give audible expression to; speak or pronounce:
unable to utter her feelings; Words were uttered in my hearing.
2.
to give forth (cries, notes, etc.) with the voice:
to utter a sigh.
3.
Phonetics. to produce (speech sounds, speechlike sounds, syllables, words, etc.) audibly, with or without reference to formal language.
4.
to express (oneself or itself), especially in words.
5.
to give forth (a sound) otherwise than with the voice:
The engine uttered a shriek.
6.
to express by written or printed words.
7.
to make publicly known; publish:
to utter a libel.
8.
to put into circulation, as coins, notes, and especially counterfeit money or forged checks.
9.
to expel; emit.
10.
Obsolete. to publish, as a book.
11.
Obsolete. to sell.
verb (used without object)
12.
to employ the faculty of speech; use the voice to talk, make sounds, etc.:
His piety prevented him from uttering on religion.
13.
to sustain utterance; undergo speaking:
Those ideas are so dishonest they will not utter.
Origin
1350-1400; Middle English outren (see out, -er6); cognate with German äussern to declare
Related forms
utterable, adjective
utterer, noun
utterless, adjective
unuttered, adjective

utter2

[uht-er] /ˈʌt ər/
adjective
1.
complete; total; absolute:
her utter abandonment to grief.
2.
unconditional; unqualified:
an utter denial.
Origin
before 900; Middle English; Old English uttra, ūtera outer. See out, -er4
Related forms
utterness, noun
Synonyms
1. See absolute.
Examples from the web for utter
  • Given that the study was done by collating self-reported data, it was utter nonsense.
  • The red-faced monkeys frequently utter what researchers have dubbed coo calls to maintain vocal contact with one another.
  • Most of them appeared to be snoozing contentedly despite the utter lack of privacy or personal space.
  • It's on those cloudless star-sprinkled nights that they begin to understand the true meaning of utter, mind-clearing silence.
  • When you deconstruct it to a level of utter submission you realize you've been on an adventure.
  • It was a complete and utter violation of that sanctified calm.
  • Fay said blistering things of the sort that only a drill sergeant, or an especially corrosive fifth-grade teacher, might utter.
  • The scream he gave out was one of utter fear and pain.
  • At last they made a great fire without the city, and threatened to cast her into it, if she did not utter certain impious words.
  • Climb up in sight climb in the whole utter needles and a guess a whole guess is hanging.
British Dictionary definitions for utter

utter1

/ˈʌtə/
verb
1.
to give audible expression to (something): to utter a growl
2.
(criminal law) to put into circulation (counterfeit coin, forged banknotes, etc)
3.
(transitive) to make publicly known; publish: to utter slander
4.
(obsolete) to give forth, issue, or emit
Derived Forms
utterable, adjective
utterableness, noun
utterer, noun
utterless, adjective
Word Origin
C14: probably originally a commercial term, from Middle Dutch ūteren (modern Dutch uiteren) to make known; related to Middle Low German ūtern to sell, show

utter2

/ˈʌtə/
adjective
1.
(prenominal) (intensifier): an utter fool, utter bliss, the utter limit
Word Origin
C15: from Old English utera outer, comparative of ūteout (adv); related to Old High German ūzaro, Old Norse ūtri
Word Origin and History for utter
adj.

"complete, total," Old English utera, uterra, "outer," comparative adjective formed from ut (see out), from Proto-Germanic *utizon (cf. Old Norse utar, Old Frisian uttra, Middle Dutch utere, Dutch uiter-, Old High German uzar, German äußer "outer").

v.

"speak, say," c.1400, in part from Middle Low German utern "to turn out, show, speak," from uter "outer," comparative adj. formed from ut "out;" in part from Middle English verb outen "to disclose," from Old English utan "to put out," from ut (see out). Cf. German äussern "to utter, express," from aus "out;" and colloquial phrase out with it "speak up!" Formerly also used as a commercial verb (as release is now). Related: Uttered; uttering.