spittle

English

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɪtəl

Noun

spittle (uncountable)

1. Spit, usually frothy and of a milky coloration.
2. Something frothy and white that resembles spit.
3. Spit-up or drool of an infant.
4. A small sort of spade.
5. Obsolete form of spital.
   • (Can we date this quote?), George Herbert, The Thanksgiving:

     "I'll build a spittle, or mend common ways..."

Derived terms

• lickspittle
• spittly

Translations

Spit, usually frothy

• French: crachat (fr) m, postillon (fr) m (droplets)
• German: Spucke (de) f
• Greek: ροχάλα (el) (rochála)

• Italian: sputo (it) m
• Persian: تف (fa) (tof)
• Scottish Gaelic: seile m, ronn m

Verb

spittle (third-person singular simple present spittles, present participle spittling, simple past and past participle spittled)

1. To dig or stir with a small spade.

Anagrams

• pittles