Spitting Feathers? What do you think it means?

[erikbloodaxe]

I was just reading an article where someone used 'Spitting feathers' to mean they were angry. Now I've only ever used the term/ heard the term in meaning I'm thirsty.

I'm in my 50's and now wonder when/if the meaning changed.

What does it mean to you, Angry or Thirsty and how old are you?

Cracking the flags refers to flagstone paving. See also the traditional wisdom of "If the flags are drying the washing will".

Spitting feathers means thirsty. That dry mouth feeling.

(40s W Lancs)

Angry. Never heard it used in any other context.

Thirsty. Mid-forties and bemused when people use it to mean angry.

Thirsty. It means your throat is so dry your spit has turned to feathers.

I'm north west and it's thirst here.

Ooohhhhhh. I guess that makes sense then, thanks! Had not considered it might mean a different type of flag!

Thought it meant thirsty

I'm north west and 40, definitely means thirsty round here!

I've heard it said in both contexts. My DF used to say it when he wanted a cup of tea

@JanglyBeads @sanityisamyth sorry I forgot I posted on here! Having tickets on yourself means you think a lot of yourself (not necessarily justified) - an equivalent could be 'she thinks she's all that and a bag of chips'. HTH!

Spitting feathers is thirsty, my friends mum used sit going "puh, puh, puh" until someone asked what she was doing and the reply would be "I'm spitting feathers, make a bloody brew!"

My Grandma used to say the tickets for himself thing. It always makes me laugh.

Definitely, has always meant angry for me!!

Thirsty. And my grandparents used it in this way frequently. They’d be 100 and 102 if they were alive now. Never knew it to be used about being angry until I saw it on Mumsnet.

I’ve heard ‘spitting iron filings’ for being angry.

Thirsty makes more sense for spitting feathers, as they’re so dry. Same context as ‘mouth’s as dry as a budgie’s cage’. I can’t think why it would signify being angry as I can’t see how it’s an apt analogy - what’s angry about feathers?

Definitely thirsty; never heard of it meaning angry until this thread. 58, a southerner with northern parents.

It’s a very Aussie thing… it means furious

Thirsty here. 50 NW England

Spitting feathers, the atom will go bada bing, save the cheerleader, save the world. So to summarise.

Thirsty! Didn't know it was used to describe being angry

They are both correct but I think to be thirsty is older (used in Shakespeare) and to be angry only started appearing in the 1970s

Angry. 49, from down under

@Fraaahnces Shakespeare must've been inspired by a visiting Aussie.......

Thirsty

Agree

spitting blood is what’s caused the confusion

www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/spitting-feathers.html

there’s a brewery called spitting feathers, angry definition doesn’t work

Thirsty. I'm 30 & from Greater Manchester
DH (same age) uses it for angry & he's from Oxfordshire

I definitely think it's a regional thing more than an age thing.