Spitting feathers

[ZaZathecat]

'I'm spitting feathers' means I'm very thirsty. It does not mean I am angry.

Just needed a place to dump that!

[Ringsender2]

Did not know that!

[Totallydefeated]

Agreed! Really grates when I see it used to mean annoyance.

‘Spitting iron filings’ is the term I know for somebody speaking angrily.

[YesILikeItToo]

I did not know this phrase. I’m quite often very thirsty, so a handy one to deploy. I’ll see if others know what I mean. If I was angry, I’d be spitting tacks, not feathers.

[ZaZathecat]

I feel so much better for getting that off my chest, thanks for your support, fellow pedants 😁

[TubeOfSmarties]

Yes!!

[4PawsGood]

I think it’s one where the meaning has now changed. See also ‘staycation’.

[upinaballoon]

I did not know 'spitting feathers' until I met my friend from Lancashire and she uses it to mean thirsty, which makes complete sense, and it's how I use it now.

Later in my life I had to work with a person who used 'spitting feathers' to mean she was annoyed and that annoyed me a lot, because it's breaking the complete logic of it meaning 'thirsty'.

I have long known the expression 'spitting blood' to mean annoyed.

[butterpuffed]

I'm really surprised to see this as I have always known the expression to mean being angry .

Curiosity made me Google and both are listed. Odd that an expression has two very different definitions !

[DropYourSword]

Nah, means both.

[DameCelia]

Can mean both, depending where you are in the country.
Always best to check these things before declaring them incorrect

[Justleaveitblankthen]

I'm from Lancashire and knew that.
Spitting blood is to be furious.
I say it alot 😉