spitfireadj.n.
/ˈspɪtfʌɪə/ A. adj.
1.
a. That spits fire; fire-spitting; figurative irascible, displaying anger or hot temper.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > anger > irascibility > [adjective] > irascible (of person)
hotOE
wooda1250
hastivec1300
irous1303
hastya1350
angrya1387
melancholiousa1393
quicka1400
irefulc1400
melancholyc1450
turnec1480
iracundiousa1492
passionatea1500
fumish1523
irascible1530
wrothful1535
fierya1540
warm1547
choleric1556
hot at hand1558
waspish1566
incensive1570
bilious1571
splenative1593
hot-livered1599
short1599
spitfire1600
warm-tempered1605
temperless1614
sulphurous1616
angryable1662
huffy1680
hastish1749
peppery1778
quick-tempered1792
inflammable1800
hair-triggered1806
gingery1807
spunky1809
iracund1821
irascid1823
wrathy1828
frenzy1859
gunpowdery1868
gunpowderous1870
tempersome1875
exacerbescent1889
tempery1905
lightningy1906
temperish1925
short-fused1979
1600 S. Rowlands Letting of Humors Blood Epigram ix. sig. A8 That with a spit-fire Serpent so durst fight.
1791 E. Nairne Poems 103 Where..spit-fire cats their midnight revels keep.
1850 E. P. Whipple Ess. & Rev. II. 306 A spitfire satirist, or moody misanthrope.
1866 R. Chambers Ess. 2nd Ser. 90 A venerable spitfire terrier,..mentally engaged in the business of rat-catching.
1894 Mrs. H. Ward Marcella I. i. i. 10 A little spitfire outsider.
b. Heated, angry.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > anger > [adjective]
irrec825
gramec893
wemodc897
wrothc950
bolghenc1000
gramelyc1000
hotOE
on fireOE
brathc1175
moodyc1175
to-bollenc1175
wrethfulc1175
wraw?c1225
agrameda1300
wrathfula1300
agremedc1300
hastivec1300
irousa1340
wretheda1340
aniredc1350
felonc1374
angryc1380
upreareda1382
jealous1382
crousea1400
grieveda1400
irefula1400
mada1400
teena1400
wraweda1400
wretthy14..
angryc1405
errevousa1420
wrothy1422
angereda1425
passionatec1425
fumous1430
tangylc1440
heavy1452
fire angry1490
wrothsomea1529
angerful?1533
wrothful?1534
wrath1535
provoked1538
warm1547
vibrant1575
chauffe1582
fuming1582
enfeloned1596
incensed1597
choleric1598
inflameda1600
raiseda1600
exasperate1601
angried1609
exasperated1611
dispassionate1635
bristlinga1639
peltish1648
sultry1671
on (also upon) the high ropes (also rope)1672
nangry1681
ugly1687
sorea1694
glimflashy1699
enraged1732
spunky1809
cholerous1822
kwaai1827
wrathy1828
angersome1834
outraged1836
irate1838
vex1843
raring1845
waxy1853
stiff1856
scotty1867
bristly1872
hot under the collar1879
black angry1894
spitfire1894
passionful1901
ignorant1913
hairy1914
snaky1919
steamed1923
uptight1934
broigus1937
lemony1941
ripped1941
pissed1943
crooked1945
teed off1955
ticked off1959
ripe1966
torqued1967
bummed1970
1894 Tablet 20 Jan. 86 The lurid vapours of spit-fire controversies.
2. spitfire-jib n. (see quot. 1867). Nautical.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > equipment of vessel > masts, rigging, or sails > sail > [noun] > sail set on a stay > jib or sail set on forestay > types of
marabut1622
flying jib1711
storm-jiba1827
spitfire-jib1858
jib topsail1866
reaching foresail1901
reacher1903
jumbo1912
Yankee1912
Yankee jib1912
Genoa1932
Genoa jib1932
slave1934
quad1937
slave jib1948
masthead genoa1958
1858 M. Reid Ran away to Sea (1859) xii. 93 Even under such a wind she still continued to carry most of her sail..while her storm, spit-fire, and third jibs were still kept bent to the breeze.
1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. 643 Spitfire-Jib, in cutters, a small storm-jib of very heavy canvas.
1894 Outing 24 193/1 I advise that a ‘spit-fire’ or storm jib be carried whenever a sail of any distance is contemplated.
B. n.
1.
a. A thing which emits or vomits fire; esp. a cannon.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > military equipment > weapon > device for discharging missiles > firearm > piece of artillery > [noun]
gun1339
enginec1380
great gunc1430
ordnancec1450
cannona1460
piece1512
spitfire1611
tube1763
barker1815
by and by1857
big gun1886
centre-fire1889
the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > heat > burning > fire or flame > [noun] > state of ejecting fire > one who or that which
fire spewer?c1475
spitfire1611
1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Bouches à feu, Spit-fires; Artillerie, Ordnance.
1614 S. Rowlands Fooles Bolt (Hunterian Club) 19 Spaines Hell spawne of fleete,..With all their brasen Spit~fiers.
1680 C. Ness Compl. Church-hist. 423 Those two monstrous spet-fires, call'd the Earth-quake and Grand-Diabolo,..planted against Rhodes and Constantinople.
1785 Span. Rivals 5 Yes, that spitfire, the Rock of Gibraltar will bear us witness.
1842 F. Trollope Visit to Italy II. 199 Vesuvius..is the most renowned of all accessible spit-fires.
1901 ‘Linesman’ Words by Eyewitness (1902) v. 113 The 3-inch spitfire on the lower slopes of Spion Kop.
b. A slight eruption or explosion.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > violent action or operation > [noun] > bursting violently from rest or restraint > instance of
outbreakinga1387
breaking-out1552
outbreak1562
eruption1598
storm1602
out-breach1609
fulmination1623
outflying1641
outburst1657
float1763
overboiling1767
irruption1811
gush1821
outflash1831
outflush1834
shooting forth1837
outbursting1838
blow-off1842
outblaze1843
upburst1843
upthrow1855
upbreak1856
spurt1859
outlash1868
spitfire1886
Brock's benefit1948
1886 J. Ruskin Præterita II. ii. 61 Firing up under their feet in little splutters and spitfires of the most appalling heresy.
2. One whose temper is fiery; an irascible, passionate, or quick-tempered person.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > anger > irascibility > [noun] > irascible person
wasp1496
shit-fire1598
flesh-pistol1608
tinder-box1608
touchwood1617
Tartar1669
touch and go1675
spitfire1684
vengeance1712
spunkie1821
pepperbox1822
tempest1852
pepperer1864
gingersnap1889
pepperpot1894
spit-cat1898
spit kitten1912
slow burner1930
fireball1931
pop-off1938
1684 R. Baxter Catholick Communion 38 Malignant Spit~fires do already write books full of palpable Lies against other men.
1687 T. Brown Saints in Uproar in Wks. (1730) I. 77 'Tis some comfort to me however, Bully Spit-fire, that thou canst not abuse me, without falling foul upon my Country.
1721 N. Amhurst Terræ-filius (1726) xxxii. 169 Not so fast, (I beg of you) my dear little spit-fire.
a1794 M. Palmer Dialogue Devonshire Dial. (1837) 7 Thecca spitfire woud a fitted en to a T.
1834 T. Carlyle Sartor Resartus ii. viii. 65/2 Deuce on it..! The little spitfires!
1881 W. Besant & J. Rice Chaplain of Fleet II. iv. 69 What a little spitfire was this Nancy of mine!
3. A cat in an angry state.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > mammals > group Unguiculata or clawed mammal > family Felidae (feline) > felis domesticus (cat) > [noun] > defined by actions or habitat
mouser1440
mouse-taker?c1475
mouse-catcher1611
Kilkenny cat1822
spitfire1825
alley cat1886
stray1892
tiler1905
1825 W. Scott Let. 29 Dec. (1935) IX. 357 We thought we should have to have opend the wall to get out the little spit fire alive.
1878 R. Browning Two Poets of Croisic in La Saisiaz & Two Poets of Croisic 131 If she missed Priority of stroking, soon were stirred The dormant spit-fire.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1914; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
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adj.n.1600