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# spitting

«spitting» in Mova's school dictionary: **Forcing saliva (spit) or food out of your mouth** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples.

### part of speech

verb (-ing form of spit: spit, spits, spat/spit, spitting); noun (spitting — uncountable); adjective (spitting)

### meaning for a pupil

1) Forcing saliva (spit) or food out of your mouth. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spitting/#m1)

2) (of rain, UK and Ireland) Raining very lightly: "It's only spitting." [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spitting/#m2)

3) Making small hot bursts or sparks, like fat in a pan or a fire. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spitting/#m3)

4) (of an animal) Hissing angrily, like a cat. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spitting/#m4)

5) In "spitting image": looking exactly like someone. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spitting/#m5)

6) In "spitting distance": very close. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spitting/#m6)

### sense in the lessons

In everyday and school rules spitting at people is rude and unhygienic, and spitting on the ground is often against the rules. Weather talk in the UK, Ireland and Australia uses "it's spitting" for a few drops. "Spitting mad" or "spitting feathers" means very angry. In stories a spitting fire or spitting cat sets an angry or lively mood.

### examples

- Spitting at someone is very rude. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spitting/#x1)
- It's just spitting, so we can still go to the park. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spitting/#x2)
- The sausages were spitting in the hot pan. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spitting/#x3)
- The angry cat was spitting and hissing. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spitting/#x4)
- You're the spitting image of your mum! [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spitting/#x5)
- The beach is within spitting distance of our hotel. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spitting/#x6)
- The coach was spitting mad after the match. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spitting/#x7)
- Brush your teeth, then finish by spitting into the sink. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spitting/#x8)
- From that time forward the Smith gave up spitting at the Demon and striking him with his hammer. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spitting/#x9)

### note

Double t: spit → spitting. Past: spat (UK) or spit (US). "Spitting image" is a fixed phrase meaning an exact look-alike. Spitting near others spreads germs; a cobra called the spitting cobra really does spray venom.

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «spitting» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spitting/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.