English

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Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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Alteration of dialectal spattle (by association with spit (noun)), from Old English spātl, which is related to spǣtan (whence spit (verb)).

Noun

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spittle (countable and uncountable, plural spittles)

  1. Spit, usually frothy and of a milky coloration.
    • 2023 September 30, HarryBlank, “Meeting in the Middle”, in SCP Foundation[1], archived from the original on 25 May 2024:
      "Who are you?!" he blurted into the woman's palm, and she shook it off in obvious disgust, wiping spittle onto his D-class uniform.
  2. Something frothy and white that resembles spit.
  3. Spit-up or drool of an infant.
Derived terms
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Translations
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Etymology 2

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Noun

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spittle (countable and uncountable, plural spittles)

  1. (now archaic) Alternative form of spital
    • a. 1633, George Herbert, The Thanksgiving:
      I'll build a spittle, or mend common ways []

Etymology 3

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Representing a frequentative form of spit (a spade's depth), equivalent to spit +‎ -le.

Noun

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spittle (countable and uncountable, plural spittles)

  1. A small sort of spade.

Verb

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spittle (third-person singular simple present spittles, present participle spittling, simple past and past participle spittled)

  1. To dig or stir with a small spade.

Anagrams

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