An imperative urging someone to say what they are clearly hesitating to say
Stop waiting and just say what you want to say!
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
Used as an impatient command telling someone to stop hesitating and say what they want to say
"You've been staring at the floor for five minutes — just spit it out!"
Spit it out, man! What are you trying to say?
Used to encourage someone to confess or admit something they are reluctant to reveal
"The teacher could see he knew where the ball had gone. 'Spit it out,' she said."
To forcefully eject something from the mouth — here applied to words being 'held' in the mouth
Stop waiting and just say what you want to say!
Almost exclusively used as an imperative ('Spit it out!'). The pronoun 'it' is fixed — you cannot say 'spit the news out' in this idiom. Conveys impatience or mild frustration. Common in British and American English alike.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
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