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Spit vs Split - What's the difference?

spit | split |

In transitive terms the difference between spit and split

is that spit is to utter violently while split is to share; to divide.

As nouns the difference between spit and split

is that spit is a rod on which meat is grilled (UK English) or broiled (US English) while split is a crack or longitudinal fissure.

As verbs the difference between spit and split

is that spit is to impale on a spit while split is of something solid, to divide fully or partly along a more or less straight line.

As an adjective split is

see split verb.

As a proper noun Split is

a port city in Croatia.

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

    * * *

    split

    English

    Adjective

    (split exact sequence) (-)
  • See (verb).
  • Republicans appear split on the centerpiece of Mr. Obama's economic recovery plan.
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2011 , date=December 19 , author=Kerry Brown , title=Kim Jong-il obituary , work=The Guardian citation , page= , passage=With the descent of the cold war, relations between the two countries (for this is, to all intents and purposes, what they became after the end of the war) were almost completely broken off, with whole families split for the ensuing decades, some for ever.}}
  • (algebra, of a short exact sequence) Having the middle group equal to the direct product of the others.
  • Comprising half decaffeinated and half caffeinated espresso.
  • Derived terms

    * split-shot

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A crack or longitudinal fissure.
  • A breach or separation, as in a political party; a division.
  • A piece that is split off, or made thin, by splitting; a splinter; a fragment.
  • (leather manufacture) One of the sections of a skin made by dividing it into two or more thicknesses.
  • The acrobatic feat of spreading the legs flat on the floor 180 degrees apart, either sideways to the body or with one leg in front and one behind, thus lowering the body completely to the floor.
  • (baseball, slang) A split-finger fastball.
  • He’s got a nasty split .
  • (bowling) A result of a first throw that leaves two or more pins standing with one or more pins between them knocked down.
  • A dessert or confection resembling a banana split.
  • A unit of measure used for champagne or other spirits: 18.75 centiliter or 1/4 quarter of a standard .75 liter bottle. Commercially comparable to 1/20th (US) gallon, which is 1/2 of a fifth.
  • A bottle of wine containing 0.375 liters, 1/2 the volume of a standard .75 liter bottle; a demi.
  • (athletics) The elapsed time at specific intermediate point(s) in a race.
  • In the 3000m race, his 800m split was 1:45.32
  • (construction) A tear resulting from tensile stresses.
  • (gambling) A division of a stake happening when two cards of the kind on which the stake is laid are dealt in the same turn.
  • (music) A recording containing songs by multiple artists.
  • Verb

  • (ergative) Of something solid, to divide fully or partly along a more or less straight line.
  • * (Robert Boyle) (1627-1691)
  • a huge vessel of exceeding hard marble split asunder by congealed water
  • To share; to divide.
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=September-October, author= Katie L. Burke
  • , magazine=(American Scientist), title= In the News , passage=The critical component of the photosynthetic system is the “water-oxidizing complex”, made up of manganese atoms and a calcium atom. This system splits water molecules and delivers some of their electrons to other molecules that help build up carbohydrates.}}
  • (slang) To leave.
  • to separate or break up.
  • To be broken; to be dashed to pieces.
  • * Shakespeare
  • The ship splits on the rock.
  • To burst out laughing.
  • * Alexander Pope
  • Each had a gravity would make you split .
  • (slang, dated) To divulge a secret; to betray confidence; to peach.
  • (Thackeray)
  • (sports) In athletics (esp. baseball), when both teams involved in a doubleheader each win one game and lose another game.
  • (split)
  • Derived terms

    * side-splitting * split up (verb )