WordGarden.iospit
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /spˈɪt/
US
- /ˈspɪt/
Meanings
Verb
to force saliva out of the mouth
to say something with anger or contempt
(slang)to perform rap lyrics, especially skillfully
Noun
saliva; spittle
a rod used to roast meat over a fire
Beyond the definition
To spit is to push saliva out of your mouth, often as a sign of anger, dislike, or bad manners. You can also "spit out" words, saying them quickly and sharply in an angry moment. Sometimes people say the sky is "spitting" when only a few drops of rain are falling. The word also appears in "spitting image," which means someone looks exactly like another person. And in cooking, a "spit" is the long rod used to turn meat over a fire.
The act of spitting, or forcefully sending saliva out of the mouth, is one of the core meanings of this word. In everyday life, it is often linked to anger, disgust, contempt, or simply the need to get something unpleasant out of the mouth. Because of that, it can sound harsh and vivid. If someone "spits" on the ground after hearing awful news, the image suggests a strong emotional reaction.
From that physical meaning, the word extends into other uses. A person can "spit out" words, meaning they speak in a fast, sharp, angry way. Weather can also "spit" when a few drops of rain are falling, but not enough to count as real rain. In the phrase "the spitting image," it means an exact likeness, especially when one person looks remarkably like another.
The word also has some special uses. In cooking, a "spit" is a long rod that holds meat over a fire while it turns. In informal modern English, especially in music, someone can "spit" or "spit bars," meaning to perform lyrics with force and skill. There is also "spit up," which is common for babies bringing a little milk or food back up. So the word can describe a physical act, a sharp way of speaking, light rain, a cooking tool, or a very close resemblance.
Examples
- 1
Table manners
She discreetly spit the cherry pit into a napkin.
- 2
Public manners
Please don't spit on the sidewalk.
- 3
Baby care
The baby spit up after drinking too much milk.
- Phrasespit up
bring food or liquid back out of the mouth
- 4
Bad taste
He took one bite and spit the food out.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Impatient request
If you know the answer, just spit it out.
- Phrasespit it out
say something directly, especially when you are hesitating
- 6
Machine output
That printer keeps spitting out blank pages.
- Phrasespit out
produce or send out quickly
- 7
Angry speech
He didn't say my name; he spat it at me.
- Patternspit + words/name at someone
say them with anger or contempt
- 8
Noun use
There was a little spit on the toddler's chin.
See also
Forms and spellings
5 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- spitnounverb
Forms
- spitting-ing formverbnoun
- spatpast tensepast participleverbnoun
- spitspluralnounverb
- spittedpast tenseverbnoun