Spitting feathers

[gilletwoes]

When people say they are spitting feathers I always thought it meant you were thirsty and desperate for a brew. But now it seems to be used to indicate how angry you are. And I just want to comment to those that use it that way that what you really mean is ‘spitting tacks’.

or have I got that wrong?

Never heard of spitting tacks. Maybe it's a regional thing?

Never heard of spitting tacks?

I think you're right, OP.
One of those odd phrases that was quite specific and has changed meaning through misuse (like "begs the question")...

I've only heard it meaning felling angry, but I Googled it and the Oxford dictionary gives both meanings as correct.

The thirsty one does make sense.

I say spitting tacks...from north east England

Absolutely agree, OP! I've commented on this before, 'spitting feathers' always used to mean thirsty or dry of mouth and spitting tacks was angry, but nowadays it seems noone has ever heard of spitting tacks!

I'm still unsure as to why 'spitting feathers' (ie, something very soft and undamaging) would mean angry?

I thought it meant thirsty. I’m sure I heard someone (Rita I think) say it in the Rovers Return in 1981 when she wanted a drink. I have heard spitting blood for being angry (sounds horrible )

ETA needs shifting to Pedants Corner 🙂

I've always known spitting feathers to be angry. My Granny used it as that back in the 80s so not a recent change, but I've only heard it used for thirst on MN, despite all the places I've lived in.
She was from NE England - moved to NW.

I clicked on this post to see what you were really angry about. South east!

Bit of a tangent, but my favourite misused idiom I think I read on here.... someone in an office thought that "three sheets to the wind" meant "extremely busy" so was telling colleagues on the phone that he couldn't do something because he was three sheets to the wind!

Splitting feathers; picking every little thing apart, generally in an argument.
spitting tacks is a dry mouth

Spitting feathers - dry mouth here, NW. There's even a brewery named after the saying.
According to the OED Spitting Feathers is thirsty or angry, spitting tacks is angry.

I’ve never heard splitting feathers used like that at all. I’ve heard of picking apart in an argument being described as splitting hairs.

@Quandri same here - that’s a multi mix up 🤣

Both are correct usage…it’s the context which will influence how people perceive it.

Spitting feather is parched.
Spitting tacks is livid.

It’s ’splitting hairs’ not feathers.

I opened the post thinking you were angry but as I started reading I remembered it also means to be thirsty. People use it for both thirsty and anger. I’ve never heard of spitting tacks

That's so wrong it's making me itch! It makes no sense whatsoever.

Splitting hairs is being ridiculously picky because a hair is almost impossible to split. Feathers are easy to divide.

Spitting feather is being so thirsty your mouth feels all dry, like you'd tried to eat a pillow.

Spitting blood or tacks is being so irate you are spraying invectives.

I thought spitting feathers always could mean being thirsty or being angry although I've generally used it and heard it used in the thirsty context.

I've never heard of spitting tacks but I assume that's a regional thing.

It's 'splitting' tacks. Not spitting. I think. Can't remember what it means but my mum used to say it.

Spitting feathers should mean really thirsty shouldn't it. Or spitting dust?

I guess it's like a wild animal thats just attacked it's prey? But then surely you're angry before you've attacked something, not after. I think a cat would be happy after it caught and maimed a bird. Not angry?!

I've always understood it to mean thirsty

I thought those using it to mean angry were the same types to mix up adverse/adverse and think it was another "thing" coming. I never knew it could mean both

I thought it was spitting tacks for being angry because the tacks were sharp and hurtful? If they jabbed into you?

@PastaAllaNorma I concur 100%

@DiscoBob no definitely not splitting tacks - never heard of that.