(spits, spitting, spat)
Note: In American English, the form 'spit' is used as the past tense and past participle.
1.
Spit is the watery liquid produced in your mouth. You usually use spit to refer to an amount of it that has been forced out of someone's mouth.
= saliva
N-UNCOUNT
2.
If someone spits, they force an amount of liquid out of their mouth, often to show hatred or contempt.
The gang thought of hitting him too, but decided just to spit...
They spat at me and taunted me...
She spit into the little tray of mascara and brushed it on her lashes.
VERB: V, V prep, V prep
3.
If you spit liquid or food somewhere, you force a small amount of it out of your mouth.
Spit out that gum and pay attention...
He felt as if a serpent had spat venom into his eyes...
VERB: V n with out, V n prep
4.
If
it is spitting, it is raining very lightly. (
BRIT; in AM, use sprinkle
)
It will stop in a minute - it's only spitting.
VERB: usu cont, it V
5.
A spit is a long rod which is pushed through a piece of meat and hung over an open fire to cook the meat.
She roasted the meat on a spit.
N-COUNT
6.
A spit of land is a long, flat, narrow piece of land that sticks out into the sea.
N-COUNT: N of n
7.
If one place is within spitting distance of another, they are very close to each other. (INFORMAL)
...a restaurant within spitting distance of the Tower of London.
PHRASE: usu PHR of n
8.
If you say that one person is the spitting image of another, you mean that they look very similar. (INFORMAL)
Nina looks the spitting image of Sissy Spacek.
PHRASE: usu v-link PHR