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spit on

B1 neutral inseparable transitive
In simple words

To send spit from your mouth onto someone or something, often to show you hate or disrespect them

Literal meaning: To project saliva from the mouth onto something — fully transparent

Meanings

1 A2 neutral

To physically eject saliva from the mouth onto a person or surface

"The angry protester spat on the politician's car as it drove past."

Grammar: inseparable
2 B2 idiomatic neutral

To treat something or someone with extreme contempt or disrespect, symbolically or figuratively

"Accepting that deal would be spitting on everything our ancestors fought for."

Grammar: inseparable
Usage notes

In literal use, describes a physical act of spitting. Figuratively, 'spit on' means to treat something with utter contempt or disregard, as in 'spitting on someone's memory.' The figurative sense carries strong emotional weight and is common in political or moral discourse.

Commonly used with

grave memory flag ground values face

Forms

Base
spit on
I/you/we/they
3rd person
spits on
he/she/it
Past simple
spited on
yesterday
Past participle
spited on
have + pp
-ing form
spiting on
continuous

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Synonyms

expectorate on hawk on show contempt for desecrate disrespect defile

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