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Some of these are that spitting image comes from the words spirit and image (which itself may come from 19th century African-American usage, Benjamin Franklin, or any one of a number of other sources); that it was borrowed from a similar French expression; or that the spit in question may be a Biblical reference to another bodily fluid.
Aug 23, 2021 · fullscreen. If someone calls you “the spitting image” of your mother, you probably understand them to mean that you look exactly like your mother. But, like up to snuff, made from scratch, and ...
The expression "spitting image" wields significant cultural influence, shaping perceptions of likeness and identity in both historical and contemporary contexts. It underscores the powerful ...
- Summary
- OED
- Antedating
Spitting image and related phrases (e.g. "he's the [very] spit[ting] [image/picture]") are 19th century. It appears it did come from the word spitrather than split. Its roots may be found in the 17th century, in This is found in a 1611 French-English dictionary with a similar French translation. Perhaps the English phrase was translated from the Fr...
The OED says spitting image (1901) it's an alteration of spitten (image, picture) (1878). This in turn is a corruption of spit and (image, picture, fetch) (1859). The very spit ofis 1825. Curiously, splitting image (or splitten image) is recorded later (1880).
I found an antedating for spitting image from Hall Caine's A Son of Hagar, volume 2 (first published 1886, this edition1887): The Dialect of Cumberland (1873) by Robert Ferguson suggests it is really from spit: Those references are: 1. Dick.: A Glossary of Words and Phrases Pertaining to the Dialect of Cumberland(1859) by William Dickinson 2. Crav....
The term "spitting image" has evolved from "spit and image." In this saying, the word "spit" means a copy. It stems from the idea of creating a copy of a person by spitting, like an oral birthing or a clone. This notion has been in circulation since at least the late 17th century as evidenced by its use in Irish dramatist George Farquhar 's ...
What does spitting image expression mean? Definitions by the largest Idiom Dictionary. ... spitting distance; spitting image; spitting image, the; spitting in the ...
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Where does the phrase'spitting image' come from?
What is a Spitting Image?
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Why is Spitting Image a corruption of spit and?
What does spit mean?
Can spitting image be used in informal and formal settings?
Yes, "Spitting Image" can be used in both informal and formal settings. It is a versatile expression that describes a strong physical resemblance. You can use it in casual conversations with friends and family, as well as in more formal situations such as presentations, interviews, or written correspondence.
