Spitting image

[neoteric]

Do you know the origin of 'spitting image?' Thanks.

[Quizmonster]

Click http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=2
0000310 for the answer.

[morpheus]

I believe it was biblical in origin, from 'split and image' which was corrupted to 'splitting image' and thus 'spitting image'.

[Quizmonster]

I'm afraid that the word 'split' does not appear anywhere in the Bible, according to biblical concordances. In much the same way as we now have 'bitten' for the past participle of 'bite', so 'spitten' used to be the past participle of 'spit', whereas we now say 'spat'. 'Splitting' was just a dialect corruption of 'spitten'. For the connection with likeness/similarity, click on the link in my earlier response.