spit
/spɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /spɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈspit/ (ame, mw)
spit — verb
- spitpresent simple I / you / we / they
- spitshe / she / it
- spatpast simple
- spitpast simple
- spitting-ing form
1. to send saliva, food pieces, or liquid from between your lips with a short, forc
to send saliva, food pieces, or liquid from between your lips with a short, forceful action, usually because the taste is bad or to show you disapprove of something.
Esteban spat out the piece of bone he had found in his soup.
spit out [object] from mouth
The old bus driver spat into a handkerchief and put it back in his pocket.
After tasting the sour milk, Noa quickly spat it into the kitchen sink.
Gita spat watermelon seeds into the garden while her cousins laughed.
Near the bus stop, Vivek leaned over the railing and spat onto the gravel path before boarding the bus.
- expectorate
formal medical term; almost never used in everyday conversation
- dribble
describes liquid falling slowly from the mouth, not a forceful ejection
- hawk
British informal; means to clear the throat noisily before spitting
- swallow
to take liquid or food into the stomach through the throat
文法句型
spit + adverb/preposition
spit + [object] + out
用法筆記
Object can be saliva, food, liquid, or small objects like seeds or pills. Often used with 'out' when specifying the thing being expelled from the mouth.
常見錯誤
2. to say words in a quick, angry, and forceful way, showing that you are furious o
to say words in a quick, angry, and forceful way, showing that you are furious or offended.
'You are lying!' Layla spat at the committee members across the table.
spit + direct quote + at [person]
Jiwoo spat insults at the referee and was sent off the field immediately.
spit + [angry words] + at [person]
'I never want to see you again,' Eleni spat through clenched teeth.
The taxi driver spat a curse at the cyclist who cut in front of him.
文法句型
spit + quote
spit + [words] + at + [person]
spit at + [person]
用法筆記
Usually followed by a direct quotation or by 'at' / 'to' for the recipient. The speaker's anger or contempt must be clear from context — this sense is not used for neutral or polite speech.
常見錯誤
3. (of something hot, like a fire or cooking oil) to make short, sharp cracking or
(of something hot, like a fire or cooking oil) to make short, sharp cracking or hissing sounds while sending out small hot pieces or drops of liquid.
The campfire spat sparks into the dark sky above the tall pine trees.
collocation: fire spits sparks
Hot oil from the frying pan spat onto the wall and left greasy marks.
The candle spat and crackled as the wick burned down to the bottom.
Christopher stepped back when the grill spat hot fat onto his bare arm.
文法句型
[hot thing] + spits
spit + [adverb of direction]
用法筆記
Often used in continuous form ('the oil was spitting'). The subject is typically a wood fire, hot cooking fat, a candle, or a sparking electrical wire.
常見錯誤
4. (of rain) to fall in very small, scattered drops, so that it feels more like a l
(of rain) to fall in very small, scattered drops, so that it feels more like a light mist than real rain.
It was only spitting, so Hoa decided to walk without an umbrella.
it is spitting (impersonal)
The weather report said it would just spit for an hour or two.
It began to spit as Caleb left the bus stop, but he did not hurry.
'It is only spitting,' said Nkechi, 'so we can still have our picnic.'
文法句型
it is spitting
用法筆記
Chiefly British English. Always used in the continuous or simple form with 'it' as the subject: 'it's spitting' or 'it spat a little.' Not used with a direct object — you cannot say 'it spits rain.'
常見錯誤
5. to push a thin, pointed metal or wooden rod through food so that it can be held
to push a thin, pointed metal or wooden rod through food so that it can be held over a fire and cooked evenly.
The chef spitted the whole chicken and placed it over the hot coals.
transitive: spit + [food]
Devika spitted chunks of lamb onto the metal rod for roasting slowly.
The fish was spitted whole and cooked over a fire on the beach.
Caleb spitted large prawns onto the rod and grilled them over charcoal.
文法句型
spit + [food] + on [rod]
be spitted + on [rod]
用法筆記
Primarily used in cooking and grilling contexts. More common in recipes and historical texts than in everyday speech. The past tense is 'spitted' — this is the ONLY sense where 'spitted' is correct, which helps distinguish it from other senses.
常見錯誤
spit — noun
- spitsingular
- spitsplural
1. a long thin rod, usually made of metal, that is pushed through pieces of meat or
a long thin rod, usually made of metal, that is pushed through pieces of meat or other food to hold them steady while they roast over a fire.
The butcher wiped the long metal spit clean with a damp cloth.
A whole pig was turning slowly on a spit in the town square.
collocation: on a spit
Hoa removed the lamb from the spit and carved it at the table.
The museum displayed an ancient iron spit used for cooking meat.
用法筆記
Often follows 'on a' or 'from the' ('chicken on a spit'). In modern cooking, 'skewer' is more common for small pieces; 'spit' usually refers to the larger rod used for whole animals or large cuts.
2. a long, narrow strip of coastal land, made of sand or small stones, that project
a long, narrow strip of coastal land, made of sand or small stones, that projects outwards from the shoreline into open water such as an ocean or lake.
The sandy spit stretched nearly a kilometre into the calm blue water.
collocation: sandy / gravel spit
Seagulls gathered on the narrow spit at the mouth of the river.
A small lighthouse stood at the far end of the gravel spit.
The children walked along the spit to collect shells at low tide.
用法筆記
A geography term that appears in place names (e.g. 'Spurn Head' in England). Not to be confused with a 'sandbar,' which is underwater or barely above water — a spit is permanently above the waterline.
3. the clear, watery fluid that forms inside a person's mouth, particularly when it
the clear, watery fluid that forms inside a person's mouth, particularly when it is visible dripping out or is deliberately pushed out.
Spit dripped from the corner of the sleeping man's open mouth.
The nurse took a sample of the patient's spit for medical testing.
collocation: spit sample
Lukas wiped the spit from his chin after brushing his teeth quickly.
The scientist examined the bird's spit under a microscope in the lab.
用法筆記
More informal than 'saliva.' 'Spit' is the word used in everyday conversation; 'saliva' is preferred in medical or formal writing.
4. an act of forcing saliva or other matter from the mouth in a single, deliberate
an act of forcing saliva or other matter from the mouth in a single, deliberate action.
A loud spit landed on the ground just beside the metal dustbin.
collocation: a loud spit
Christopher gave a quick spit into the grass and kept on walking.
The old rules said that a spit in public could get you a fine.
One angry spit was all it took to start a fight between the two men.
- expectoration
the formal medical term; almost never used in everyday conversation
用法筆記
Countable noun — you can say 'a spit' or 'two spits.' Less common than the verb form; 'a spit' often emphasises the sound or the action as a whole event rather than the substance itself.