What does "Spit the dummy" mean?
It means losing your temper over something small, like a child having a tantrum. It can also mean giving up because you are annoyed. A dummy is a baby's pacifier.
Hear an Aussie say it
The saying
Spit the dummy
Example
He spat the dummy when his team lost.
How Aussies use it
At the footy
Josh: Why did the coach throw his cap on the ground?
Raj: He spat the dummy over the umpire's call.
Footy means football. Spat is the past tense, and the umpire is the referee.
At work
Ella: The printer jammed and Matt kicked it.
Sam: Classic Matt. He always spits the dummy on a Monday.
Classic Matt means that is typical of Matt.
Games night
Mia: Where's Tom? Isn't he playing?
Jack: He lost three rounds, spat the dummy and went home.
Here it means he gave up because he was annoyed.
How to reply
- "Okay, okay. I'm calm now." If someone says you spat the dummy, and they have a point.
- "Take a breath. It's only a game." To a friend who is spitting the dummy over something small.
When to use it
Use it to describe someone, often an adult, who overreacts like a toddler. People usually say it with a laugh, among friends or in sport talk.
When not to use it
Don't use it about someone who is genuinely upset, stressed or grieving. It makes their feelings sound childish.
Where it comes from
The Australian National Dictionary Centre records spit the dummy from the 1980s. It says the phrase is usually used about adults, suggesting they are acting like a baby who spits out its dummy in a tantrum.
Source: Australian National Dictionary Centre, ANU: spit the dummy
Questions about "Spit the dummy"
What is a dummy in Australia?
A baby's pacifier: the soft rubber or plastic soother a baby sucks on.
What is the past tense of spit the dummy?
Spat the dummy. For example: "She spat the dummy when the bus didn't stop."
Is spit the dummy rude?
It is not swearing. But it is not kind to say about someone who is truly upset.
