[f. SPRAT sb.1] a. dial. The guillemot. b. A vessel or man engaged in sprat-fishing.
1863. J. R. Wise, New Forest, Gloss., Spratter, the common guillemot (Uria troile).
1883. R. C. Leslie, Sea-painter’s Log, ix. She may have been a pleasure-yacht in her day, but can never be so again; for once a spratter, always a spratter. Ibid. Strange to say, spratters, especially in rough weather, rather dread getting the net full of fish.
