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sprat (SPRAT) - n., a small fish related to the herring; a young, small, or insignificant person.
An important food fish in Europe, eaten fresh, smoked, or canned in oil. The person sense means that Jack Sprat was not being complimented. Given its importance and near-continental presence, it shouldn't surprise you to know it dates back to Old English, in the form sprott (possibly related to sprout, in the sense of something small), with the modern spelling in use since the early 16th century.
---L.
An important food fish in Europe, eaten fresh, smoked, or canned in oil. The person sense means that Jack Sprat was not being complimented. Given its importance and near-continental presence, it shouldn't surprise you to know it dates back to Old English, in the form sprott (possibly related to sprout, in the sense of something small), with the modern spelling in use since the early 16th century.
---L.
