spit take

or spit-take

[ spit-teyk ]

noun

1. (in comedy) a sight gag in which an actor or comedian demonstrates surprise while drinking something by expelling a mouthful of the beverage in an exaggerated spray of liquid.

Word History and Origins

Origin of spit take¹

First recorded in 2000–05; spit ¹( def ) (in the sense “to eject from the mouth” + take ( def ) (in the sense “physical response expressing total wonderment”), on the model of double take ( def )

Example Sentences

I must have done a spit take and spilled my coffee.”

From Seattle Times

Never billboarded, but rather folded organically into the texture of “Creed III,” these ideas sit lightly with what the audience came to see: fight sequences in which slow motion reveals every skin ripple and bloody spit take, and in which physically imposing men might come within inches of killing each other as the glamorous crowd urges them on.

From Washington Post

Long told Barrymore that he “cherished that time” they were together, and being the funny guy she knows him to be, got her to do a spit take while they reminisced about their old game nights and one particular competition with Quentin Tarantino.

From Los Angeles Times

A burn scalding enough to elicit its own spit take.

From Washington Post

Convinced that the “As It Was” singer spat in the lap of his co-star Pine during the movie’s premiere, eagle-eyed social media users with way too much time on their hands replayed a brief clip that showed the alleged spit take while Styles took his seat in the Sala Grande.

From Los Angeles Times