shatter (shater)

[ You may likewise stick the candle so loose that it will fall upon the gla of the sconce, and break it into shatters . Swift , Advice to Servants (Butler). 2. A shattered or impaired state. If the nerves are to be continually in a shatter with want of sleep. Carlyle , The Century, XXIV. 23. sna shatter brain (shat'er-brān), n. A carele , giddy person; a scatterbrain. Imp . Dict . shatter-brained (shat'er-brand), a. Disordered in intellect; intellectually weak; scatterbrained. You cannot. but conclude that religion and devotion are far from being the mere effects of ignorance and imposture, whatever some shatter - brained and debauched persons would fain persuade themselves and others. Dr. J. Goodman , Winter Evening Conferences, iii. shatter-pated (shat'er-pā"ted), a . Same as shatter-brained.