shat: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowVulgar slang; highly informal; considered offensive in polite or formal contexts.
Quick answer
What does “shat” mean?
The simple past tense and past participle of 'shit', meaning to defecate or, more broadly, to expel feces.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The simple past tense and past participle of 'shit', meaning to defecate or, more broadly, to expel feces.
Can be used metaphorically to mean something went very wrong, failed, or was ruined, or to express extreme surprise or frustration (e.g., "I almost shat myself"). In humorous/vulgar slang, 'shat' is sometimes used as an adjective meaning 'ruined', 'broken', or 'scared'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is similar in both varieties. The metaphorical/extended uses are common in both, though some specific slang phrases may vary.
Connotations
Equally vulgar and strong in both dialects. No significant difference in offensiveness.
Frequency
Slightly more likely to appear in British comedic or laddish writing, but the difference is marginal. The word is generally avoided in edited prose in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “shat” in a Sentence
[Subject] shat (intransitive)[Subject] shat [Object] (transitive, rare, e.g., 'The bird shat the car')[Subject] shat [Prep. Phrase] (e.g., 'shat on the floor')Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “shat” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The dog shat on the new carpet.
- He was so frightened he nearly shat his pants.
- I can't believe the printer's shat itself again.
American English
- The pigeon shat on my windshield.
- We all shat ourselves laughing at the movie.
- The old engine finally shat the bed on the highway.
adverb
British English
- He ran shat-scared into the night. (as part of compound adjective)
American English
- She was shat-faced drunk by midnight. (as part of compound adjective)
adjective
British English
- After that shock, I was absolutely shat. (meaning scared/exhausted)
- The deal is completely shat now. (meaning ruined)
American English
- Don't buy that phone, it's shat. (meaning broken)
- I was too shat to argue. (meaning exhausted/defeated)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Never used.
Academic
Never used, except in specific analyses of slang/vulgar language.
Everyday
Used only in very informal, coarse contexts among peers. Considered highly inappropriate in mixed or polite company.
Technical
Not used. Medical/biological contexts use 'defecated' or 'passed stool'.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “shat”
- Using 'shat' in formal writing or speech.
- Overusing the metaphorical sense in an attempt to sound fluent, which can seem crude.
- Incorrectly conjugating as 'shit' for the past tense (though 'shit' is also used colloquially, 'shat' is the standard past form).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is widely recognized as the standard simple past tense and past participle of the verb 'shit' in most dictionaries.
No. It is vulgar slang and is completely inappropriate for academic, professional, or formal writing.
Both are past forms of 'shit'. 'Shat' is more commonly cited as the standard form, while 'shitted' is less common but also used, especially in transitive constructions (e.g., 'The child shitted his pants').
Yes, in very informal, often humorous slang, it can be used adjectivally to mean 'broken', 'ruined', or 'extremely scared' (e.g., 'a shat hard drive', 'I was shat'). This usage is non-standard.
The simple past tense and past participle of 'shit', meaning to defecate or, more broadly, to expel feces.
Shat is usually vulgar slang; highly informal; considered offensive in polite or formal contexts. in register.
Shat: in British English it is pronounced /ʃæt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ʃæt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “scared the shit/shat out of me”
- “shit/shat a brick (expressing fear/surprise)”
- “shat myself laughing”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a cat on a MAT that suddenly SHAT. The 'a' in 'shat' sounds like the 'a' in 'cat' and 'mat'.
Conceptual Metaphor
EMOTION/FAILURE IS EXCREMENT (e.g., 'The plan shat the bed' = the plan failed catastrophically; 'I was shat scared' = I was terrified).
Practice
Quiz
Which context is LEAST appropriate for using the word 'shat'?