- To speak in a very angry, hateful, malicious, or nasty way.
Explanation
Origin
- Comes from the imagery of venomous snakes spitting or injecting poison (venom).
- Words spoken with extreme malice and hatred are compared to deadly venom, intended to harm the recipient emotionally.
- It emphasizes the poisonous, destructive nature of the speech.
Synonyms & Related Expressions
Alternatives
Slang/Informal:
- Ripping someone a new one (verbally attacking fiercely)
- Going off on someone (ranting angrily)
- Talking mad shit about someone (speaking very negatively/disrespectfully)
- Laying into someone
Vulgar/Emphatic:
- Talking pure fucking hate.
- Spewing shit
- Cussing someone out (focuses more on swearing, but often overlaps)
Milder:
- Speaking very angrily
- Saying nasty things
- Being verbally aggressive
Situational Appropriateness
- Informal to semi-formal.
- Describes very negative behavior. Appropriate when describing intense arguments or hateful speech, but the expression itself carries weight due to its strong imagery.
Misunderstanding Warnings
- Unlikely to be misunderstood literally. The intensity might be missed; it signifies more than just being angry – it implies malice and harmful intent in the words.
Examples
- I've never heard anyone so angry; she was absolutely spitting venom.
- During the argument, they were just spitting venom at each other.
- He spat venom about his ex-partner to anyone who would listen.
Dialogue
Chen: Did you see the press conference with the rival coaches?
Maya: No, what happened?
Chen: They absolutely despise each other. Coach Evans was spitting venom about Coach Lee's tactics.
Maya: Yikes! That sounds like bad blood. I should watch the replay.
Social Media Examples
- Tweet: Just witnessed a massive argument online. People were spitting venom in the comments section. Had to step away. #toxic #internet
- Blog Post: In his final interview, the ousted CEO spat venom about the board members who fired him.
- Comment: Wow, the way she talks about her political opponents... pure spitting venom. So unproductive.
Response Patterns
- Shock/Disbelief: Wow, really? / That sounds intense. / What did they say?
- Agreement/Confirmation: Yeah, it was horrible to witness. / He can be really nasty when he's angry.
- Question: Why were they so angry? / What was the fight about?
Common Follow-up Questions/Actions
After hearing someone was spitting venom:
- Ask for details about the situation: What triggered that? or Who were they talking to/about?
- Ask about the specific words used (if appropriate): What kind of things were they saying? (Use caution, could be gossip-mongering)
- Express reaction to the intensity: That must have been awful. or I can't imagine being that hateful.
Conversation Starter
- No. Used to describe extreme verbal anger, usually in recounting an event.
Intonation
- Emphasis usually on spitting and venom.
- Said with a tone reflecting shock, disgust, or intensity regarding the angry words. She was SPITting VENom.
Generation Differences
- Understood by most adults, perhaps slightly more common in written language or among older speakers than in casual youth slang.
Regional Variations
- Used across major English-speaking regions.