A quarrel, a tiff.

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1804.  [London news.] The late spat between Mr. Pitt and Mr. W. Pulteney.—The Repertory, Boston, April 27.

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1848.  Many is the long watch hour we have whiled away together with schemes of mischief or in kindly spats.—Yale Lit. Mag., xiv. 83 (Dec.).

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1850.  

        The bull-dogs settled private spats,
All chased imaginary cats,
Or raved behind the fence’s slats
At real ones, or from their mats,
With friends, miles off, held plesant chats.
Lowell, ‘The Unhappy Lot of Mr. Knott.’    

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