# dummy spit

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/dummy-spit
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

The act of overreacting (as an adult) to a situation childishly, in an angry or frustrated manner.

## Examples

- He had a dummy spit when he lost the game.
- The manager had a total dummy spit in front of the team because the report was five minutes late.
- Despite his professional reputation, he threw a public dummy spit when the committee rejected his proposal, shocking everyone in the boardroom.

## Origin

From when babies have tantrums, and spit out any dummy that they may be sucking. (disputed)

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.