Spit vs Drizzle - What's the difference?

As nouns the difference between spit and drizzle

is that spit is a rod on which meat is grilled (uk english) or broiled (us english) or spit can be (uncountable) saliva]], especially when [[expectorate|expectorated while drizzle is light rain.

As verbs the difference between spit and drizzle

is that spit is to impale on a spit or spit can be (transitive) to evacuate (saliva or another substance) from the mouth while drizzle is (ambitransitive) to rain lightly; to shed slowly in minute drops or particles.

spit

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) spitu , from (etyl) .

Noun

(en noun)

A rod on which meat is grilled (UK English) or broiled (US English).

A narrow, pointed, usually sandy peninsula.

* 1881 , :

Or perhaps he may see a group of washerwomen relieved, on a spit of shingle, against the blue sea [..]

The depth to which a spade goes in digging; a spade; a spadeful.

(Halliwell)

Verb

(spitt)

To impale on a spit.

to spit a loin of veal

* Shakespeare

infants spitted upon pikes

To attend to a spit; to use a spit.

She's spitting in the kitchen.

To spade; to dig.

Etymology 2

From (etyl) spittan, from (etyl) (compare Danish spytte, Swedish spotta), from (etyl) Ayto, John, Dictionary of Word Origins , Arcade Publishing, New York, 1990, of imitiative origin (see spew) spew], [[w:Online Etymology Dictionary, Online Etymology Dictionary], Douglas Harper

Verb

(transitive) To evacuate (saliva or another substance) from the mouth.

Don't spit on the street.

The teacher told her to spit out her bubble gum.

* 1994 , (Stephen Fry), (The Hippopotamus) Chapter 2

At the very moment he cried out, David realised that what he had run into was only the Christmas tree. Disgusted with himself at such cowardice, he spat a needle from his mouth, stepped back from the tree and listened. There were no sounds of any movement upstairs: no shouts, no sleepy grumbles, only a gentle tinkle from the decorations as the tree had recovered from the collision.

To rain or snow slightly, or with sprinkles.

* Charles Dickens

It had been spitting with rain.

To utter violently.

* 1915 , , Shadows of Flames , page 240 [http://books.google.com/books?id=-9AcAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA240&dq=spat]:

"Why, you little emasculated Don Juan— You—" he spat an unmentionable name— "d'you think I'd fight one of your tin-soldier farces with you? Clear out!"

* 2004 , edition, ISBN 0743483790, chapter 3, page 23 [http://books.google.com/books?id=d9F9MUiOQD4C&pg=PA23&dq=spat]:

"Gentleman? You?" he spat .

(transitive, slang, hip-hop) To utter.

* 2005 , Giselle Zado Wasfie, So Fly

A group of black guys were spitting rhymes in the corner, slapping hands and egging one another on.

Usage notes

* Spit'' as the past form is common only in the US, while ''spat is common everywhere.

Synonyms

* expectorate

Derived terms

* spit it out * spit nails * spitting chips * spitting distance

Noun

(uncountable) Saliva]], especially when [[expectorate, expectorated.

There was spit all over the washbasin.

(countable) An instance of spitting.

Synonyms

* expectoration, saliva

Derived terms

* spitball * spit-cup * spitshine * spittoon * spit wad

Anagrams

* * *

References

English terms with multiple etymologies

drizzle

English

Verb

(drizzl)

(ambitransitive) To rain lightly; to shed slowly in minute drops or particles.

* Shakespeare

The air doth drizzle dew.

(cooking) To pour slowly and evenly, especially with oil in cooking.

The recipe says to toss the salad and then drizzle it in olive oil.

The recipe says to toss the salad and then drizzle olive oil on it.

(slang) To urinate.

Noun

(en noun)

Light rain.

(physics, weather). Very small, numerous, and uniformly dispersed water drops, mist, or sprinkle. Unlike fog droplets, drizzle falls to the ground. It is sometimes accompanied by low visibility and fog.

No longer pouring, the rain outside slowed down to a faint drizzle .

(slang) Water.

Stop drinking all of my drizzle !

Derived terms

* drizzly