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spit1

Pronunciation: /spɪt/
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Definition of spit

verb (spits, spitting; past and past participle spat /spat/ or spit)

[no object]
  • 1eject saliva forcibly from one’s mouth, sometimes as a gesture of contempt or anger:Todd spat in Hugh’s face
  • [with object] forcibly eject (food or liquid) from one’s mouth:the baby spat out its porridge
  • (spit up) North American (especially of a baby) vomit or regurgitate food: their infants fretted, mewled, and spat up over their jeans
  • [with object] utter in a hostile or aggressive way:she spat abuse at the jury [with direct speech]:‘Go to hell!’ she spat
  • black English perform rap music.
  • (of a fire or something being cooked) emit small bursts of sparks or hot fat with a series of short, explosive noises: the bonfire crackled and spat
  • (of a cat) make a hissing noise as a sign of anger or hostility: the cat arched his back and spat at her
  • 2 (it spits, it is spitting, etc.) British light rain falls:it began to spit

noun

  • 1 [mass noun] saliva, typically that which has been ejected from a person’s mouth.
  • 2an act of spitting.

Phrases

be the spit (or the dead spit) of

informal look exactly like:Felix is the spit of Rosa’s brother
[see spitting image]

spit-and-sawdust

British informal used to describe an old-fashioned or simple pub or bar, of a type whose floor was originally covered with sawdust.

spit blood

informal be very angry.

spit (out) the dummy

Australian informal behave in a bad-tempered or petulant way.

spit feathers (or tacks or Australian chips)

informal, chiefly British
  • 1be very thirsty.
  • 2be very angry.

spit in the eye (or face) of

show contempt or scorn for.

spitting distance

see within spitting distance at distance.

spit in (or into) the wind

do something futile or pointless.

spit it out

informal used to urge someone to say or confess something quickly:spit it out, man, I haven’t got all day

Derivatives

spitty

adjective

Origin:

Old English spittan, of imitative origin

spit in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of spit in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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