spit 1
— spitlike , adj.
/spit/ , v. , spit or spat, spitting , n.
v.i.
1. to eject saliva from the mouth; expectorate.
2. to express hatred, contempt, etc., by or as if by ejecting saliva from the mouth.
3. to sputter: grease spitting on the fire.
4. to fall in scattered drops or flakes, as rain or snow.
v.t.
5. to eject from the mouth: The children were spitting watermelon seeds over the fence.
6. to throw out or emit like saliva: The kettle spits boiling water over the stove.
7. to set a flame to.
8. spit up, to vomit; throw up: The wounded soldier spat up blood. If you jostle the baby, she'll spit up.
n.
9. saliva, esp. when ejected.
10. the act of spitting.
11. Entomol. spittle.
12. a light fall of rain or snow.
13. spit and image . Also, spitting image, spit 'n' image . Informal. exact likeness; counterpart: Hunched over his desk, pen in hand, he was the spit and image of his father at work.
[ bef. 950; (v.) ME spitten, OE spittan; c. G (dial.) spitzen to spit; akin to OE spaetan to spit, spatl spittle; (n.) ME, deriv. of the v. ]
Syn. 3. spatter.
spit 2
/spit/ , n. , v. , spitted, spitting .
n.
1. a pointed rod or bar for thrusting through and holding meat that is to be cooked before or over a fire.
2. any of various rods, pins, or the like used for particular purposes.
3. a narrow point of land projecting into the water.
4. a long, narrow shoal extending from the shore.
v.t.
5. to pierce, stab, or transfix, as with a spit; impale on something sharp.
6. to thrust a spit into or through.
[ bef. 1000; ME spite, OE spitu; c. MD, MLG spit, spet, OHG spiz spit; akin to ON spita peg ]