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!

Did not know that!

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

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

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.

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

Yes!!

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

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.

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 !

Nah, means both.

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

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