Word
spew
US/ˈspju/
UK/spjˈuː/
Definition
v. to throw out something in a messy or unpleasant way. You use this when someone coughs up something gross or when a machine throws out a lot of liquid or smoke.
v. to eject or discharge something in a messy, uncontrolled, or forceful manner. Often used to describe the expulsion of bodily fluids or the emission of industrial waste.
Examples
“The old car started to spew black smoke.”
“The factory was fined for spewing toxic fumes into the local river without a permit.”
“The volcano began to spew molten rock and ash into the atmosphere, forcing the nearby residents to evacuate immediately to avoid being buried under the falling debris.”
Examples
simple
“The old car started to spew black smoke.”
contextual
“The factory was fined for spewing toxic fumes into the local river without a permit.”
complex
“The volcano began to spew molten rock and ash into the atmosphere, forcing the nearby residents to evacuate immediately to avoid being buried under the falling debris.”
Real-World Examples
“Two new eruptions were recorded as Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau continued to spew volcanic ash.” “This month, his administration handed out $700m to prop up coal-fired power plants, which spew out deadly air pollution and are a leading source of planet-heating emissions.” “America's copiers, fax machines and printers continued to spew out enough sheets of paper to cover the country every five years.” Etymology
From Middle English spewen, from Old English spīwan, from Proto-West Germanic spīwan, from Proto-Germanic spīwaną, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ptyēw- (“to spit, vomit”). Germanic cognates include English spit, West Frisian spije, Dutch spuien, Dutch spuwen, Low German speen, spiien, German speien (“to spew, spit, vomit”), Swedish spy, Danish spy, Faroese spýggja, Gothic 𐍃𐍀𐌴𐌹𐍅𐌰𐌽 (speiwan). Also cognate, through Indo-European, with Latin spuō (“spit”, verb), Ancient Greek πτύω (ptúō, “spit, vomit”), Albanian fyt (“throat”), Armenian թուք (tʻukʻ), Russian плева́ть (plevátʹ), Persian تف (tof), Sanskrit ष्ठीवति (ṣṭhī́vati).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/spew